The Korn Ferry Tour arrives in Santiago for the Astara Chile Classic presented by Scotiabank, the sixth event of the 2026 season and the final stop of the South American swing. With 156 players from 19 countries competing at Prince of Wales Country Club, the tournament awards 500 points to the winner in a pivotal week on the road to the PGA TOUR.
The Korn Ferry Tour doesn’t slow down. No sooner had the curtain fallen on the 119th Visa Open de Argentina at the Jockey Club in Buenos Aires than the circuit crossed the Andes and began breathing in mountain air.
With little pause and barely time to process an intense week in Argentina, the South American swing reaches its final chapter at the Astara Chile Classic presented by Scotiabank, held this week at Prince of Wales Country Club in Santiago. It marks the sixth of 25 events on the 2026 schedule and the closing stretch of this part of the world.
Other destinations and challenges will follow, but for many players this week carries particular weight. It’s the final opportunity to build momentum in South America—to capitalize on good form or shift direction before the season enters its next phase.
The Prince of Wales course, a par-71 measuring 7,134 yards, is not easily conquered. It isn’t long, but it is strategic. Precision off the tee, patience on the greens, and mental clarity on Sunday’s closing nine are essential. Here, victory rarely goes to the loudest player, but to the one who best understands when to attack—and when to accept par.
This will be the eighth edition of the tournament. Founded in 2012, it experienced a long hiatus between 2016 and 2022 before returning in 2023 to reclaim its place on the Korn Ferry Tour calendar. Past champions include players who later made a successful leap to the PGA TOUR, such as Kevin Kisner and Adam Hadwin. Most recently, Logan McAllister captured the 2025 title at 19-under par.
The field is once again deep and diverse: 156 players representing 19 countries. Three PGA TOUR winners are competing, along with nearly 50 players who already know what it means to win on the Korn Ferry Tour. It’s a compelling mix of experience and urgency—because on this circuit, no one’s future is guaranteed.
For the Latin American contingent, this is a crucial week. Thirteen regional players are in the field, including five from Chile. For them, this isn’t just another tournament stop—it’s playing at home, with familiar accents in the gallery but added pressure that comes with it.
Cristóbal Del Solar arrives as one of the leading local hopes. Currently 40th on the 2026 Points List, he has shown strong form—recording a top-10 in Bogotá after opening with a stunning 61, and adding a top-25 finish in Argentina. He brings rhythm, confidence, and recent high-level experience. Competing in Santiago is different; every applause resonates deeper, every mistake carries more weight.
Argentina’s Jorge Fernández Valdés, 14th on the Points List, has been one of the most consistent Latin Americans this season: five tournaments, five top-30 finishes, including two top-10s. In a circuit this demanding, consistency sends a clear message. After contending in Buenos Aires, he now looks to carry that solidity into Santiago.
At the top of the standings, attention centers on Ian Holt. No. 1 on the Points List and ranked 106th in the world, he has already won twice this season. A third victory would automatically secure his PGA TOUR card, changing the dynamic of every round he plays.
Alistair Docherty also arrives riding momentum after winning in Argentina with a birdie on the 72nd hole. Winning on Sunday and teeing it up again Thursday presents a significant mental challenge. Sometimes momentum becomes confidence; other times, fatigue takes its toll. That’s one of the quiet storylines that will unfold this week.
The $1 million purse—$180,000 to the champion—and 500 points are significant, but the real prize builds over the season: the top 20 players earn PGA TOUR cards. In fact, 14 players who competed here in 2025 ultimately graduated to the PGA TOUR. That makes this course more than a venue—it’s a launching pad.
The Korn Ferry Tour carries a particular mystique. It’s not where legends are crowned, but where they are forged. It’s where players learn to close with a lead, recover from a slow start, and remain steady when the scorecard trembles. More than 700 PGA TOUR titles have been won by graduates of this circuit. History shows that what happens here doesn’t stay here.
After the intensity of Buenos Aires, the Tour finds its final South American chapter in Santiago. Some arrive with renewed confidence. Others with urgency to turn their season around. All share the same objective: move one step closer to the biggest stage.
On the Korn Ferry Tour, no one lives off the past. Every week is a new test. And this one, in Chile, could redefine a season.
