Exemptions

Each PGA TOUR player has earned a position on the priority ranking system that will be used to select tournament fields. The complete ranking system, in order of priority, is as follows:
  1. Winner of PGA Championship or U.S. Open prior to 1970 or in the last 10 calendar years: (Beginning in 1998, this is a five-year exemption.)
    • Jack Burke, Jr. Retief Goosen Arnold Palmer
    • Angel Cabrera Don January Gary Player
    • Billy Casper Gene Littler Bob Rosburg
    • Dow Finsterwald Shaun Micheel Vijay Singh
    • Jack Fleck Phil Mickelson Lee Trevino
    • Ray Floyd Orville Moody Ken Venturi
    • Doug Ford Bobby Nichols Tiger Woods
    • Jim Furyk Jack Nicklaus
    • Al Geiberger Geoff Ogilvy
  2. Winner of THE PLAYERS Championship in the last 10 calendar years: (Beginning in 1998, this is a five-year exemption.)
    • Stephen Ames
    • Davis Love III
    • Fred Funk
    • Adam Scott
  3. Winners of the Masters Tournament in the last 10 calendar years: (Beginning in 1998, this is a five-year exemption.)
    • Zach Johnson
    • Mike Weir
  4. Winners of the British Open in the last 10 calendar years: (Beginning in 1998, this is a five-year exemption.)
    • Ben Curtis
    • Todd Hamilton
    • Padraig Harrington
  5. Winners of THE TOUR Championship, beginning in 2005 (a three-year exemption):
    • Bart Bryant
  6. Winners of World Golf Championships events, beginning in 2005 (a three-year exemption):
    • David Toms
  7. The winner of the FedExCup in each of the last five calendar years.
  8. The leader in PGA TOUR official earnings in each of the last five calendar years:
  9. Winners of PGA TOUR co-sponsored or approved events (except team events) within the last two calendar years, or during the current year; winners receive an additional year of exemption for each additional win, up to five years:
    • Brian Gay
    • Steve Lowery
    • Stuart Appleby
    • Paul Goydos
    • Corey Pavin
    • Woody Austin
    • J.J. Henry
    • Kenny Perry
    • Eric Axley
    • Tim Herron
    • Carl Pettersson
    • Aaron Baddeley
    • Charley Hoffman
    • John Rollins
    • Brian Bateman
    • J.B. Holmes
    • Rory Sabbatini
    • Jonathan Byrd
    • Charles Howell IIII
    • John Senden
    • Mark Calcavecchia
    • Trevor Immelman
    • Brandt Snedeker
    • Chad Campbell
    • Justin Leonard
    • Steve Stricker
    • K.J. Choi
    • Will MacKenzie
    • D.J. Trahan
    • Daniel Chopra
    • Jeff Maggert
    • Kirk Triplett
    • Chris Couch
    • Hunter Mahan
    • Scott Verplank
    • Luke Donald
    • Troy Matteson
    • Nick Watney
    • Joe Durant
    • George McNeill
    • Boo Weekley
    • Ernie Els
    • Arron Oberholser
    • Brett Wetterich
    • Steve Flesch
    • Joe Ogilvie
    • Dean Wilson
    • Sergio Garcia
    • Rod Pampling
    • Mark Wilson
  10. Leaders in official PGA TOUR career earnings, as follows:
    1. Players among the top 50 in career earnings as of the end of the preceding calendar year may elect to use a one-time, one-year exemption for the next year
      • Jay Haas
    2. Players among the Top 25 in career earnings as of the end of the preceding calendar year may elect to use this special exemption for a second year, provided that the player remains among the Top 25 on the career money list.
      • Fred Couples
      • Brad Faxon
      • Jeff Sluman
      • Scott Hoch
  11. Sponsor exemptions (a maximum of eight, which may include amateurswith handicaps of 0 or less), on the following basis:
    1. Not less than two sponsor invitees shall be PGA TOUR members not otherwise exempt.
    2. Not less than two of the top 25 finishers and ties from the last Qualifying Tournament, as well as 2-25 from the 2007 Nationwide Tour money list, if not all of them can otherwise be accommodated. (Note: PGTA TOUR members may receive an unlimited number of sponsor invitations. Non-TOUR members may receive a maximum of seven per year.)
  12. Two international players designated by the Commissioner.
  13. The current PGA Club Professional Champion for a maximum of 6 open events (3 must be opposite British Open and World Golf Championships events), in addition to any sponsor selections.
    • Chip Sullivan
  14. PGA Section Champion or Player of the Year of the Section in which the tournament is played.
  15. Four low scorers at Open Qualifying which shall normally be held onMonday of tournament week.
  16. Past champions of the particular event being contested that week, if cosponsored by the PGA TOUR and the same tournament sponsor (except for Team events), as follows:
    1. Winners prior to July 28, 1970: unlimited exemptions for such events.
    2. Winners after July 28, 1970 and prior to Jan. 1, 2000: 10 years of exemptions for such events.
    3. Winners after Jan. 1, 2000: five years of exemptions for such events.
  17. Life Members (who have been active members of the PGA TOUR for 15 years and have won at least 20 co-sponsored events).
    • Tom Watson
  18. Top 30 on the previous year’s FedExCup points list.
    • Justin Rose
    • Robert Allenby
    • Tim Clark
    • Camilo Villegas
    • Stewart Cink
    • Heath Slocum
  19. Top 125 on previous year’s Official Money List: If not exempt under "Special Exemptions," the top 125 PGA TOUR members on the previous year’s Official Money List, in order of their position:
    • Jerry Kelly
    • Jose Coceres
    • Bill Haas
    • Ken Duke
    • Robert Garrigus
    • Shigeki Maruyama
    • Sean O'Hair
    • Peter Lonard
    • Chris DiMarco
    • Billy Mayfair
    • Steve Marino
    • Tom Pernice, Jr.
    • John Mallinger
    • Rocco Mediate
    • Tommy Armour III
    • Pat Perez
    • Bernhard Langer
    • Steve Elkington
    • Lucas Glover
    • Charlie Wi
    • Cameron Beckman
    • Bubba Watson
    • Cliff Kresge
    • Jeff Quinney
    • Jason Gore
    • J.P. Hayes
    • Bo Van Pelt
    • Jesper Parnevik
    • Matt Kuchar
    • Ryan Moore
    • Charles Warren
    • Tom Lehman
    • Anthony Kim
    • Tim Petrovic
    • Bob Estes
    • Fredrik Jacobson
    • Michael Allen
    • Rich Beem
    • Ian Poulter
    • Stephen Leaney
    • Alex Cejka
    • Ryuji Imada
    • Johnson Wagner
    • Ryan Armour
    • Nathan Green
    • Jeff Overton
    • Kevin Na
    • Kevin Sutherland
    • Briny Baird
    • Kevin Stadler
    • Nick O'Hern
    • Jose M. Olazabal
    • Mathias Grönberg
    • Vaughn Taylor
    • Mark Hensby
    • Brian Davis
    • Mathew Goggin
  20. Players who finished in the Top 125 on the 2007 PGA TOUR Money List as non-members:
    • Paul Casey
    • Jay Williamson
    • Andres Romero
  21. Major Medical Extension: If granted by the Commissioner, if not otherwise eligible, and if needed to fill the field, Special Medical Extension.
    • Chris Perry
    • Brandt Jobe
    • Craig Barlow
    • Ben Crane
    • Brett Quigley
    • Shane Bertsch
    • Scott McCarron
    • Dudley Hart
    • Paul Azinger
    • Jason Bohn
    • David Berganio Jr.
    • Wes Short Jr.
    • Joey Snyder III
    • Hank Kuehne
    • David Duval
    • J.L. Lewis
    • Olin Browne
  22. Leading Money Winner from 2007 Nationwide Tour.
    • Richard Johnson
    • Nick Flanagan (3-win promotion)
    • Patrick Moore (Medical)
  23. Top-10 and Ties among professionals from the previous open tournament whose victory has official status are exempt into the next open tournament whose victory has official status.
  24. Top 25 and Ties from the previous year’s PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament, in order of their finish, and players 2-25 on the 2007 Nationwide Tour money list.
    • Frank Lickliter II
    • Roland Thatcher
    • Brett Rumford
    • Chris Stroud
    • Jon Mills
    • Jin Park
    • Jason Day
    • Jason Allred
    • Nicholas Thompson
    • Y.E. Yang
    • Matthew Jones
    • Tag Ridings
    • Justin Bolli
    • Todd Demsey
    • Patrick Sheehan
    • Brad Adamonis
    • Paul Claxton
    • Travis Perkins
    • Ron Whittaker
    • Kent Jones
    • Michael Letzig
    • Cody Freeman
    • Martin Laird
    • Parker McLachlin
    • Kyle Thompson
    • Duffy Waldorf
    • Omar Uresti
    • Tim Wilkinson
    • Marc Turnesa
    • Kenneth Ferrie
    • Brad Elder
    • Kevin Streelman
    • Chez Reavie
    • Dustin Johnson
    • John Riegger
    • Richard S. Johnson
    • Tom Scherrer
    • Carlos Franco
    • Scott Sterling
    • Jim McGovern
    • Brenden Pappas
    • Tommy Gainey
    • Chad Collins
    • John Merrick
    • James Driscoll
    • Bob Sowards
    • Jimmy Walker
    • Alejandro Canizares
    • David Lutterus
    • Jonathan Kaye (medical)
    • Michael Bradley (medical)
    • Michael Sim (medical)
    • Carl Paulson (medical)
  25. Nationwide Tour 3-Win Promotion to any player winning 3 times during the current season, in priority determined by the date in which they win their third event.
  26. Minor Medical Extension.
    • Bob May
    • Paul Stankowski
    • Steve Allan
  27. Next 25 members after the Top 125 members from previous year’s Official Money List. If needed to fill the field, the next 25 PGA TOUR members after the top 125 PGA TOUR members from the previous year’s Official Money List, in order of their position on the list.
    • Ted Purdy
    • Jeff Gove
    • Craig Kanada
    • Ryan Palmer
    • Harrison Frazar
    • Marco Dawson
    • Andrew Buckle
    • Robert Gamez
    • Gavin Coles
    • Bob Heintz
    • Daisuke Maruyama
    • Doug LaBelle II
    • Billy Andrade
    • Jason Dufner
  28. Non-Exempt, Major Medical Extension
    • Kris Cox
  29. Past Champions, Team Tournament Winners and Veteran Members Beyond 150 on Money List: If not otherwise eligible and as needed to fill the field, Past Champion members, Team Tournament Winners and Veteran members beyond 150th place on the previous year’s Money List, in order of their combined official PGA TOUR and Nationwide Tour earnings in the previous year.
  30. Past Champion Members: If not otherwise eligible and if needed to fill the field, Past Champion members, in order of the total number of cosponsored or approved events won, excluding Team events. If two or more players are tied, the player who is higher on the PGA TOUR Career Money List shall be eligible.
  31. Special Temporary: If during the course of a PGA TOUR season, a nonmember of the PGA TOUR wins an amount of official money (e.g., by playing in PGA TOUR events through sponsor exemptions, Open Qualifying, etc.) equal to the amount won in the preceding year by the 150th finisher on the official money list, he will be eligible for the remainder of the year.
  32. Team Tournament Winners: If not otherwise eligible and if needed to fill the field, winners of co-sponsored team championships, in order of the total number of team championship tournaments won. If two or more players are tied based on the number of such tournaments won, the player who is higher on the official PGA TOUR Career Money List shall be eligible.
  33. Veteran Members: If not otherwise eligible and if needed to fill the field, Veteran members (players who have made a minimum of 150 cuts during their career), in order of their standing on the PGA TOUR Career Money List.
Eligibility rankings

Eligibility rankings

Each PGA TOUR player has earned a position on the priority ranking system that will be used to select tournament fields. Take a look at the rankings. More

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