PGA Tour pro on cusp of losing card says he has 'no pity' for those who complain about the system

Lee Hodges is a 30-year-old, one-time winner on the PGA Tour pro says he was just talking to his wife the other day about how lucky he is to be on the world’s best pro golf circuit, even if he may be on the cusp of losing his full-time playing privileges for next season.

“I'm from Ardmore, Alabama, and I'm playing on the PGA Tour for four years and have a win,” Hodges said on Saturday after shooting a third-round 66 to get into a tie for seventh. “Like, no one ever would have given me that when I was 10 years old. I want to obviously keep it going, I'd love to add more to my resume, but it's been an awesome ride so far and I don't think it's over yet, but I'm excited to see where it goes.”

Hodges, a former star at the University of Alabama who is ranked 151st in the world, entered the final tournament of the season at 122nd in the FedEx Fall standings. Only the top 100 players get their cards for 2026.

As the first season winds down of the top 125 being the card-earning number, there have been thoughtful and emotional opinions expressed about the loss of opportunity—the most gut-wrenching of which was Justin Lower talking about losing status after he missed the cut this week.

It doesn’t seem as if Hodges is nearly as dismayed or angry about his circumstance. If he were to hold the position he’s in right now come Sunday evening, he’d finish 104th.

“I don't know if I'm going to ruffle some feathers, but the guys that come in here and kind of feel sorry for themselves, I have no pity for because you played it, you know what I mean?” Hodges said. “You played every shot this year. Same way as me. I'm where I am because of my golf, nobody anybody else's golf. Nobody put me there, I put myself there. Yeah, you just are where you are, but we all have avenues out so just go do that, you know what I mean? Go take the road that gets you where you want to go.”

Hodges is making his 25th start of the season this week, and though he’s made 15 cuts he went on a bad stretch in the spring when he missed five consecutive weekends. He also has only three top-10s, with two T-9s being the best results.

In college at Alabama, the Crimson Tide and then-coach Jay Seawell had a tradition of celebrating victories with milkshakes. Hodges won two individual titles, while in the pros, he’s enjoyed a milkshake just once—after winning the 2023 3M Open.

He was asked Saturday if he’d possibly celebrate with a milk cold one if he somehow retained his card.

“I don’t know, probably not honestly,” Hodges said. “Seawell's strict about his rules. I may have something else. No, milkshake's just for wins. You've got to be No. 1 to get a milkshake.”