Tommy Gainey has every right to tee it up at the Bahamas KFT event next week. As a past champion, he was granted an exemption. However, he took an unexpected decision: he chose to withdraw from the tournament for a young golfer, who was the first alternate. The decision came as a surprise, but the reason behind it earned him nothing but respect from everyone.

“It’s 10 times harder than when I came up. I didn’t want to take a spot from a guy,” Gainey told Monday Q Info after his friend reached out, sharing the WD news with the X page.

The $1M purse size mattered little to him. The $180K paycheck for the winner mattered even less. Gainey, 50, with his PGA Tour Champions status already locked up, put himself in that youngster’s shoes; if he were first alternate, he’d do anything for that chance. And he was right.

Gainey, fondly called Two Gloves because, well, he wears two gloves while golfing, knows how difficult it is to grind in KFT and earn a PGA Tour card, especially with all the changes reshaping golf. For the 2026 Korn Ferry Tour season, available PGA Tour cards have dropped from 30 to 20, and clearly, one start can change a young player’s entire career path.

So, Gainey called tournament director Josh Franklin and told him that he didn’t want to disrespect the event. But these young guys were extremely talented, and any one of them could win, even the last guy in the field. The lucky golfer who got Gainey’s spot is 25-year-old James Song, who turned pro in 2022 and is currently playing in PGA Tour Americas.

What makes this story even more heartwarming is Two Gloves’s journey.

He won twice on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2010, and his only PGA Tour victory was at the McGladrey (now RSM) Classic in 2012. Soon, his spotlight faded, and he lost his KFT card after the 2013-14 season. He never gained it back, but when he returned for the Bahamas event in 2020, he ended up winning, earning an exemption, which reportedly lasted till 2025.

Gainey ultimately set his sights on PGA Tour Champions eligibility as he turned 50 in 2025. He won the  Furyk & Friends tournament in October, as a Monday qualifier, and became fully exempt on the Senior Tour for 2026.

This isn’t the first time, though. The 50-year-old has consistently supported young golfers through First Tee programs. At First Tee West Michigan, his impact proved tangible. When junior golfer Andrew was selected for a national opportunity to visit Washington, D.C., he spent a week at Congressional Country Club playing with Gainey and meeting Jordan Spieth.

“He came back different. It’s like a light bulb switched on for him,” First Tee Executive Director Tyler Smies said. Gainey creates moments that redirect careers. His KFT withdrawal is the same act, but at a different level.

Tommy Gainey’s actions earned him our and the community’s respect.

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Reactions pour in on Tommy Gainey’s selfless act

John McGrath, editor at ClickitGolf.com and former tournament director at the Long Island Golf Association, captured the immediate response: “Now I’ll be rooting for @TwoGlovesGolf even more 👏👏👏.”

Gainey’s PGA Champions Tour debut comes January 22 in the Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai. That secured future gave him the freedom to prioritize a young player’s opportunity over his own competitive desire.

One fan distilled it perfectly: “Class Act! Passing it forward is a great thing to do! Well done.”

Another response captured the simplicity: “Great story! What a move!!”

Fans weren’t celebrating stats or accolades. They were responding to intent. In a system where players routinely clutch exemptions, Gainey’s choice is rare in modern professional golf.

“Always been a fan of his and rooting for him on the PGA Tour Champions!” one fan wrote.

The sharpest reaction addressed the systemic reality of the PGA Tour’s attempt to reduce field sizes: “Tommy Gainey is all class. And he says what many of us have been saying for years: it is harder to make it to the Tour now than it ever has been in all of history. We are witnessing the Golden Age of golf from a talent standpoint.”

Gainey’s “10 times harder” isn’t hyperbole. It’s math. He reminded golf that growth isn’t only about winning but also about who is still holding the door open.