HOW TO BECOME A PGA TOUR MEMBER
There are five ways to become a PGA TOUR member eligible to compete in PGA TOUR events subject to PGA TOUR Regulations.
1. Finish within the top 25 and ties at the annual Qualifying Tournament.
2. Win a cosponsored or approved PGA TOUR event.
3. Finish among the top 150 players on the official money list in a year (through Sponsor Exemptions, Foreign Exemptions, Open Qualifying or Section Qualifying, etc.)
4. Win during the course of a PGA TOUR season an amount of official money (by playing in PGA TOUR events through Sponsor Exemptions, Foreign Exemptions, Open Qualifying or Section Qualifying, etc.) equal to the amount won in the preceding year by the 150th finisher on the official money list.
5. Finish in the top 25 on the official Nationwide Tour money list.
In most PGA TOUR open events there is an Open Qualifying round conducted by the PGA Section where the event is being played. The four low scorers (unless otherwise indicated) will advance to that event. This Open Qualifying round is normally held the Monday of Tournament Week and is open to all professionals and amateurs with a USGA handicap of 2 or less.
The current Section Champion or Player of the Year is exempted into most PGA TOUR open events.
REGULAR PGA TOUR OPEN QUALIFYING
An Open Qualifying competition of 18 holes is normally held Monday of Tournament Week from which the four low scorers (unless otherwise indicated) will gain entry into the Tournament.
Most sections will be required to conduct a pre-qualifying round. The low 50 and ties (except for early events where the number is 30 and ties) from the pre-qualifying round will advance into the Open Qualifying competition.
Eligible players are amateurs (*amateurs are not eligible for the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am) with USGA handicaps of two (2) strokes or less and all professionals, with no limit as to the number of attempts to qualify. NOTE: Playing in PGA TOUR open tournaments through successful Open Qualifying does not count towards the 12 tournament maximum placed on non-members.
This competition is scheduled and held by the PGA Section located in the territory of the PGA TOUR event. Please refer to the enclosed contact list for requesting information pertinent to the competition.
Entry fee for the pre-qualifying round is $200.00. The successful pre-qualifiers will pay an additional entry fee of $200.00. In the event that a pre-qualifier is not necessary, the entry fee would be $400.00 for the Open Qualifying competition.