While the PGA Tour season is just about complete, those on the top minor-league circuit — the Korn Ferry Tour — are still jockeying for promotion for the 2026 season. And with just four events left on the calendar, time is running out for those on the outside looking in.
One pro who’s not left wondering their fate for 2026 is Emilio Gonzalez. With seven top 10s, a runner-up and a victory on his CV this season, the 27-year-old sits fourth on the KFT points list and has locked up his PGA Tour card for next season.
After winning the Boise Open over the weekend on the strength of a final-round 61, Gonzalez’s coach, GOLF Top 100 Teacher Tony Ruggiero, shared some of the drills they’ve been working on throughout the season to keep his swing in solid form. Check them out below. They may just help your swing, too.
Gonzalez’s go-to swing drills
I started working with Emilio Gonzalez about seven years ago after meeting him during a visit to my alma mater, St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, Texas. Right away, I could tell he had something special — not just in his swing, but in the thoughtful questions he asked about what it would take to truly improve. One of the biggest lessons Emilio has learned on his journey could help your game, too.
What sets Emilio apart is his deep understanding of his swing tendencies — what I like to call his “golf DNA.” Just like the rest of us, Emilio has certain patterns in his swing. These don’t randomly change from one round to the next. The key to long-term development is learning your personal tendencies and then building a plan to monitor and improve them over time.
This approach recently paid off in a big way: Emilio recently notched a win on the Korn Ferry Tour in Boise, earning him a PGA Tour card for 2026. If you can work with your coach to identify and understand your tendencies — and develop a plan to stay on top of them — you’ll see real, lasting improvement, too.
Here are two drills Emilio uses regularly to monitor and manage his tendencies.
1. Resistance band drill
We use an elastic knee/hip band from the Pivot Pack in almost every practice session. The band is placed just above Emilio’s knees. During his swing, he pushes out against the band while turning back. This engages the core, stabilizes the lower body and reduces lateral movement — helping him rotate instead of slide.
Emilio also focuses on maintaining the flex in his right knee. This reinforces the correct feel of turning behind the ball rather than shifting or drifting — which can lead to problems like a reverse pivot. If you tend to slide too much in your backswing, this drill can be a game-changer.
2. Takeaway drill
One of Emilio’s old habits is rolling the clubface open early in the takeaway rather than hinging the club up the plane with a square face. This leads to inconsistent contact, start lines and curvature.
To correct this, we use a segmented swing drill. At waist height, Emilio pauses to check that his trail wrist is properly hinged and bent and that the clubface is square, forming a 90-degree angle to the swing plane.
He then continues the swing to the top, focusing on maintaining knee flex and a square face. Sometimes, we’ll place an alignment stick or shaft in the ground beside his trail leg to reinforce proper lower-body stability and prevent any slide.
This drill helps him consistently get the club in the ideal position at the top and it can do the same for you.
Stick with what works
Improvement doesn’t come from constantly chasing new tips. It comes from understanding your tendencies, practicing with purpose and sticking to one or two drills that work for your swing.
Figure out your swing DNA. Learn to monitor it. And just like Emilio, you’ll be on your way to real results.
