Justin Lower missed the cut at the RSM Classic and lost his PGA Tour card, breaking down emotionally as he faces an uncertain future with twins on the way.
At the RSM Classic, the final event of the PGA Tour’s fall season, the stakes are brutally clear. Players arrive knowing that a poor performance could cost them their tour cards and force them back into the grinding uncertainty of conditional status. Justin Lower became one of the first casualties on Friday, missing the cut by two shots with a five-under total of 69-68.
At 36 years old, ranked 114th in FedEx points with no status for 2026, he needed a strong showing to break into the top 100 and pull off a late-season miracle. Instead, he faced the media with raw honesty, admitting he was “pretty pissed off” and initially reluctant to speak, fearing that anything he said would be misunderstood.
Lower’s frustration extended beyond his own performance. He acknowledged having a tough year marked by poor putting and a disastrous 27-over showing at the U.S. Open, but he also voiced concerns about the PGA Tour’s recent changes to its qualifying structure. The threshold for full status has shifted, and players who would have retained their cards a year ago now find themselves in limbo.
This is a tough sport even outside tournament settings. We covered the toughest holes in golf, and pro players face the meanest versions of them. So it’s not surprise when a player loses composure.
And as the questions continued, Lower revealed some happy news. Twins are on the way, and that means his life is about to change dramatically. It’s wonderful news, and it comes after the major accomplishment of qualifying for the PGA tour in the first place.
We asked players for their thoughts. The response was a mix of empathy and sobering reflection. Players acknowledged the emotional weight of watching a professional golfer’s livelihood slip away, and many engaged in deeper conversations about the financial realities and psychological toll of competing at the highest levels of professional sports.
The discussion centered on how quickly fortune can turn in golf, and how the sport’s competitive structure leaves little room for second chances. Lower’s own story added poignancy to the moment: he had survived a tragic 2005 car crash that killed his father and brother, toiled in obscurity for years, and finally earned his tour card in 2021. Now, after years of fighting to stay relevant, he faced the prospect of starting over.
What makes Lower’s situation particularly resonant is that it represents the other side of the dramatic narratives that will unfold at the RSM Classic come Sunday. While some players will hold on to their cards with thrilling final-round rallies, others like Lower will exit the stage with heartbreak.
His emotional response captured something essential about professional golf: the sport demands excellence under pressure, and the consequences of falling short are immediate and unforgiving. As Lower himself put it in his moment of vulnerability, “this game is really hard.” For more coverage, there’s detailed reporting at Golf Digest.
Nick is the founder of GolfSpan and an avid golfer. He’s not quite a pro but has over 15 years of experience playing and coaching golfers worldwide. His mission is to bring the golfing community a better experience when it comes to choosing the right golf gear and finding the right setup for your game.
