champions tour exemption categories

PGA Tour Champions exemptions: How Charles Schwab Cup points, all-time money decide fields

PGA Tour Champions tournaments almost always feature 78 players in a three-round, no-cut event. And, more often than not, you see a lot of the same 50-and-older players in those fields. After all, there's no cut, so why not play? However, determining who is exempt for each PGA Tour Champions event is a bit of a confusing process.

While every event gets to select their own criteria for determining who is exempt into each PGA Tour Champions event, it's generally a good rule of thumb to be as high up as possible in one of these categories:

• Top 50 in the prior PGA Tour Champions season's Charles Schwab Cup points list
• The all-time PGA Tour money list or points list

Most weeks, that's where the bulk of the field comes from on PGA Tour Champions. If you're a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame, that helps, as does winning a PGA Tour Champions event in the prior season. Winning a PGA Tour Champions major gets you into a lot of events.

If you went through PGA Tour Champions qualifying school and finished in the top five, then you're exempt through to the final half-dozen regular-season events when a reshuffle is performed that lumps in non-exempt players.

Often times, players who are 50 or 51 years old, so just getting onto PGA Tour Champions, that have multiple PGA Tour wins can get in a field. Players with the most wins in that age bracket that want to play get those spots.

There are Monday qualifiers, too, which are restricted to players who finished in the top 50 of PGA Tour Champions Q-school.

Most events have a modest number of sponsor's exemptions as well, to get the field to 78 players.

It's all confusing, yes -- more so than determining PGA Tour or Web.com Tour fields each week. However, staying inside the top 30 in Charles Schwab Cup points at the end of the season pretty much guarantees your pick of events.

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Last updated: Sep 27, 2023

How Do You Qualify For Champions Golf Tour?

The PGA Tour Champions is highly competitive and exclusive. In order to qualify, golfers must satisfy the following criteria:

• There are 78 total spots in the Tour
• Golfers must be 50 years or older
• Golfers must play in regional qualifier unless otherwise exempt
• Golfers must pay a $3,000 application fee

The PGA Tour Champions is a professional golf tour for senior golfers. Many of the greatest golfers of all time have played on this tour, including Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson.  To qualify for the PGA Tour Champions, one must either be a professional PGA Golfer or a highly skilled amateur golfer who receives an exemption.

Table of Contents

Champions tour eligibility.

Those looking to qualify for the PGA Tour Champions must be at least 50 years of age, or 49 and turning 50 before June 1st of that year. They also must apply online and pay a fee of $3,000. With the application, at least two letters of reference from a Class A PGA Pro or Champions Tour member are required. You are also required to show a copy of your birth certificate and results from two tournaments held in the last year. 

Amateurs who meet the age criteria can enter the PGA Tour Champions Qualifying Tournament. An amateur who finishes among the top 30 at this event must forfeit their status as an amateur to play in the PGA Tour Event Champions Qualifier. When you are in the top 12 of the qualifying stage, the top five will be fully exempt, and the next seven will be reserved and will be able to compete in Champions Tour events on a space-available basis.

Golfers can also earn a sponsorship exemption for a specific tournament, in which a sponsor of the golfer grants entry to the tournament. These exemptions are typically reserved for more popular golfers, as granting them entry will help the tournament’s overall brand.

How old do you need to be to qualify for the Champions Tour?

To qualify for the PGA Tour Champions, you must be at least 50 years old.  You can also qualify for the Champions Tour if you are 49 turning 50 by June 1st of that year. The Champions Tour is reserved for senior golf players that have aged out of the PGA Tour. However, golfers over the age of 50 are still eligible to play in PGA Tour events.

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How It Works

How it works: pga tour status and eligibility.

The PGA TOUR is the premier meritocracy in professional sports.

Shoot the scores, earn a spot at the game’s highest level, and compete for the game’s most prestigious prizes.

So, how does one earn these opportunities?

PGA TOUR-sanctioned competition is built on a metaphorical ladder with several rungs, as players move up and down the ladder based on competitive results across a qualifying series or season.

PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry is the most direct way to earn status, offering PGA TOUR cards (for the top five finishers and ties) in addition to Korn Ferry Tour and PGA TOUR Americas status. Q-School entails four separate stages of qualification, conducted across the fall season.

PGA TOUR Americas feeds into the Korn Ferry Tour, which feeds to the PGA TOUR – with 30 TOUR cards awarded after each Korn Ferry Tour season.

What are the qualifications for membership on each circuit? How do players earn tournament access? How does one move up and down the ladder?

Keep it here for insight into all levels of the PGA TOUR’s qualification process. This is your guide to all things PGA TOUR-sanctioned status and eligibility. This is how it works.

FedExCup Playoffs

The FedExCup Playoffs brings unique drama in professional golf, with a starting field of 70 players whittled down to one FedExCup champion.

The Playoffs kicks off at the 70-player FedEx St. Jude Championship, followed by the 50-player BMW Championship. The final 30 players remaining will proceed to the TOUR Championship, which features a Starting Strokes format to reward the highest-ranked players on the season-long FedExCup standings, a cumulative race but with quadruple points awarded at the first two Playoffs events.

The player with the lowest score after 72 holes at East Lake, handicapped by Starting Strokes, will earn the FedExCup title.

Priority Ranking

Field sizes can vary by event, as can the number of event-specific exemptions. PGA TOUR exempt members are guaranteed access to all Full-Field Events, with various categories subject to periodic reshuffles based upon FedExCup Points accrued throughout the season.

The 2023 PGA TOUR Priority Ranking featured 39 categories.

Signature Events

PGA TOUR Signature Events are limited-field events offering increased purses and FedExCup points. The fields, which will range from roughly 70-80 players in size, are made up of the top performers from the previous season and the current season, allowing PGA TOUR members several different avenues to play their way in to the TOUR's biggest events outside of the Majors and THE PLAYERS Championship.

For 2024, there are eight Signature Events with limited field sizes:

• The Sentry • AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am • The Genesis Invitational • Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard • RBC Heritage • Wells Fargo Championship • the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday • Travelers Championship

Eligibility criteria for The Sentry will include the top 50 players from the previous season's FedExCup standings through the FedExCup Playoffs (BMW Championship qualifiers) and tournament winners from the prior year, including Additional Events and the FedExCup Fall.

Eligibility for the remaining seven Signature Events will reward top performers from the previous season, the current season and the swings leading up to each Signature Event.

FedExCup Fall

The FedExCup Fall is when top-125 eligibility, which provides exempt status into full-field events and a spot in THE PLAYERS, is finalized for the following season.

After the conclusion of the FedExCup Playoffs, players ranked 51st and beyond in the FedExCup will continue to compete for points in the fall. They will begin the fall with all points earned in the Regular Season and the first FedExCup Playoffs event, the FedEx St. Jude Championship.

Nos. 51-70 in the FedExCup at the start of the fall have already clinched their top-125 eligibility for the following year but are competing for spots in the first two Signature Events following the season-opening The Sentry.

Nos. 71 and beyond can earn one of the 10 spots available in those Signature Events but they also are competing to finish in the top 125 of the FedExCup standings at the conclusion of the fall.

Special Temporary Membership

High-achieving players without TOUR status can earn Special Temporary Membership by earning equivalent non-member FedExCup points to No. 150 on the prior year’s standings. Special Temporary Members then can accept unlimited sponsor exemptions through the remainder of the PGA TOUR calendar, including the fall portion, upon crossing the STM threshold (non-members can accept up to seven sponsor exemptions in a season). Players who earn Special Temporary Membership also secure a spot in a conditional category on that season’s TOUR Priority Ranking.

PGA TOUR cards via DP World Tour

Beginning in 2023, top finishers on the DP World Tour’s season-long points list, the Race to Dubai, at season’s end earn status for the following PGA TOUR season, rewarding their excellent play with the opportunity to compete on both tours.

Ten PGA TOUR cards are available to the highest-ranked players in the final Race to Dubai standings who don’t already hold PGA TOUR status for finishing in the top 125 of the FedExCup Playoffs and Eligibility Points List or above. For example, if Rory McIlroy or another player already exempt on the PGA TOUR finishes fifth in the Race to Dubai, then No. 11 in the Race to Dubai standings earns PGA TOUR status.

The top finisher in the Race to Dubai who is not already exempt on the PGA TOUR will be fully exempt for the following TOUR season, similar to players who finish in the top 125 in the FedExCup. That player also earns a spot in THE PLAYERS Championship.

The other nine DP World Tour players will start the season positioned directly above the 30 Korn Ferry Tour graduates and the top five finishers (and ties) from Q-School in the  PGA TOUR Priority Ranking .

Monday qualifying

Several PGA TOUR events offer four spots via an 18-hole qualifying event, which usually occurs on Monday of tournament week. Several players must advance through a pre-qualifier to earn a spot in the Monday qualifier, while others gain direct access to the Monday qualifier based on various merit-based categories.

Corey Conners won the 2019 Valero Texas Open as a Monday qualifier, the most recent to accomplish the feat on TOUR.

PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry

Beginning in fall 2023, the top five finishers (and ties) at Final Stage of PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry will earn PGA TOUR membership for the following season.

Players who finish below the top five and ties at Final Stage will earn Korn Ferry Tour membership to varying degrees, with lower-level finishers also earning PGA TOUR Americas membership.

Wi Earns Full-Exempt Status On PGA Tour Champions

BOCA RATON, Fla. – California men's golf alumnus Charlie Wi tied for second in the TimberTech Championship and a third-round 64 secured him fully exempt PGA TOUR Champions status for 2024 on Sunday at The Old Course at Broken Sound.   Wi – a 2002 Cal Athletics Hall of Fame inductee who became the first Golden Bear golfer to earn first-team All-America recognition – finished tied with Bernhard Langer at 9-under-par for the tournament behind winner Padraig Harrington (-16). Wi tied Harrington for low round on Sunday with a 64, and it moved him from a tie for 20th entering the day into a tie for second. The Golden Bear jumped from 54th in the Schwab Cup standings to 35th, resulting in the full exempt status and a spot in the PGA TOUR Champions season finale next week.   Wi was bogey-free in the third round on Sunday, carding birdies on holes 2, 3, 7, 10, 13, 14 and 16.   Wi is the first player in program history to earn fully exempt PGA TOUR Champions status.   STAY POSTED For further coverage of Cal men's golf, follow the Bears on Twitter ( @CalMensGolf ), Instagram ( @CalMensGolf ) and Facebook ( /CalMensGolf ).

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A Brief Look at the PGA Tour Exemption System

There are a variety of ways to acquire an exemption on Tour, but the bottom line is that you have to play well to get it at some point in your life. That time is now for many.

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Last week, at the Ginn sur Mer Classic in the developing region of Palm Coast, Florida, Ryan Palmer, who was previously on the “bubble,” (he was ranked 143 entering the week), secured himself a spot in the aforementioned 125 with a victory (and a two-year exemption, of course, for winning). Exempt status often seems to be a vague, mysterious, and perhaps sinister thing, even though the qualifications for such a status are laid out on the Tour’s website and the information is readily available to any seeker. In order to save you the trouble of additional navigation deeper into the recesses of cyberspace, a variety of ways (and a few exemplary individuals satisfying the various requirements) will be looked at here, along with any potential “exempt status drama” brewing in the final relevant tournament of the year (officially referred to as an “event cosponsored by the PGA Tour”).

The Big Tournaments Contrary to a certain opinion, Tiger Woods is not permitted to play on the PGA Tour just because he’s a very good golfer, people generally like him, and he makes the Tour a great deal of money. Under the current system, Woods would be exempt for a variety of reasons, but officially, he received an exemption for the 2008 season because of his status as “Winner of a PGA Championship or U.S. Open prior to 1970 or in the last 10 calendar years.”

As the web site points out, “each PGA Tour player has earned a position on the priority ranking system that will be used to select tournament fields.” Of the 33 qualifications for exempt status, “Winner of a PGA Championship…” is given top priority. This is also a five-year exemption, which is the longest given by the PGA. It’s interesting that top priority is placed upon winning the PGA’s Major, but when this is considered in light of the fact that the other majors hand out exempt status to their own tournament, and indeed to other majors, it seems to be a logical choice for top priority in the PGA’s system.

Following this, winners of the Players Championship, The Masters, and the British Open during the past ten years are granted an exemption. Members of this five-year exempt status entering the current year include Davis Love III, Zach Johnson and Ben Curtis. The next tier below this are winners of the Tour Championship, or any World Golf Championship event since 2005. The latter is the reason for David Toms’ exempt status entering this year.

It’s certainly not particle physics, but it’s easy to see why players generally designate between the Majors, the second level events (Players, Tour, WGC) and the remaining events of significance. It makes sense that a golfer is compensated more fully in the system for a victory in one of the more difficult tournaments, thus giving the golfer a better chance for further self-preservation by guaranteeing him tournament appearances for a longer period of time. As an example, Ben Curtis and Todd Hamilton, respectively, are neither the highest earning nor the winningest golfers on Tour, but the magnitude of their wins has ensured them an exempt status for a period of ten years. However, it could be asked whether or not the PGA Championship is five times more difficult than the average event on Tour, which is what the decision to allow exemption for a period of 10 years versus only two seems to be suggesting.

The Regular Tour Events A bit further down the list of possibilities for exemption come winners in Tour-approved events within the past two years. Fred Couples may have earned the gross domestic product of several small countries in the Skins Game, but it doesn’t contribute to his exempt status for the 2008 season. Interestingly, he is insured this as a player “among the Top 25 in career earnings as of the end of the preceding calendar year” who “elect[s] to use this special exemption for a second year, provided that the player remains among the Top 25 on the career money list.” J.B. Holmes, Rory Sabbatini, Jonathan Byrd, and Charles Howell III all are exempt because of a victory during the previous two seasons.

Other Means of Exempt Status After a number of other less than common classifications, such as “Two international players designated by the Commissioner,” comes a rather interesting category: “Life Members (who have been active members of the PGA TOUR for 15 years and have won at least 20 co-sponsored events),” in other words, golfers who were formerly winning a number of tournaments but are now, essentially, past their prime. Tom Watson, a fan favorite and arguably one of the 15 greatest golfers of all time, is the only member of this category. Watson, of course, spends the majority of his time playing on the Champions Tour, where he is anything but past his prime, having won twice this year.

Next, the contentious and highly visible “Top 125 on previous year’s Official Money List.” Jose M. Olazabal, Tommy Armour III, and Shigeki Maruyama are exempt coming into this year for this reason. The chief drama surrounding a potential leap into the top 125 this week ought to be provided by Jeff Overton. Overton, who underwent an emergency appendectomy only weeks ago and is wearing a naproxen patch because of the immensity of the pain he is enduring, is teeing it up this week in hopes of maintaining — if not bettering — his 125th place status. We’ll return to a glance at players “on the bubble” this week, but the rest of the list awaits.

A few categories past medical exemptions – which allowed David Duval to play this year – comes another visible battle for inclusion in an exempt group. Membership in the category “Top 25 and Ties from the previous year’s PGA Tour Qualifying Tournament… and players 2-25 on the 2007 Nationwide Tour money list” allowed Chez Reavie and Kevin Streelman to compete on Tour this year. Reavie did not earn an exemption for 2009 with his victory at the RBC Canadian Open, however, as this is not a Tour cosponsored event. Following this are a number of “special” classes, including past tournament winners and “Veteran Members who have made a minimum of 150 cuts.”

Returning to players around the “125” number, a few names stand out. David Toms is perhaps the most notable. However, there’s no need to panic, golf fans. Toms is exempt through 2001 because of his status as a winner on Tour in the previous few years, even though he will no longer be exempt as a result of his 2005 victory at the Accenture Match Play Championship. Davis Love III, at 118, has recently increased the value of his stock with good play. Should he finish in the top 125, he won’t be forced to use an exemption based upon his place in the career money list. This may be a mere technicality, but the perception that he earned his exemption based upon good play recently, rather than past success, is surely worth something to the man and keeps him free (at least temporarily) of the “has-been” label.

Jason Gore is presently situated at number 136 on the money list. Having played well in previous years, Gore was comfortably situated in the top 125 on the list last year. He’s been invisible in 2008, save for a few weeks. Unless he rights the ship in Orlando this week, the man will be in trouble. Perched at number 131, Bob Tway also finds himself in an uncomfortable position entering the week. Regardless of these two individuals, the standout story is Overton, who has defied doctor’s orders in an attempt to keep his card.

There are a variety of ways to acquire an exemption on Tour, but the bottom line is if you haven’t won recently, haven’t played well in the present year, or don’t have a legacy of great play to fall back upon, you might find yourself in a very undesirable spot entering a tournament, as a few players do this week at the Children’s Miracle Network Classic. Of course, a miracle victory by someone well outside the top 125 is always a possibility, and an assurance of exemption for the upcoming year.

14 thoughts on “A Brief Look at the PGA Tour Exemption System”

I’m guessing that if you add up all those who are exempt under the 33 criteria, you’d have more than can fit into a PGA Tour event field.

Can you do a follow up on how a player gets into a PGA Tour event based on how he got his exemption?

How many 2009 PGA Tour event starts would the guy who came 25th at Q School or 25th on the Nationwide Tour expect to get with their exemptions earnt in 2008?

Further to Mark’s question, can you explain what each exemption entitles a player to do? In other words, I thought some of the exemptions do not necessarily entitle a player to enter any tournament he wants (not talking about special invites like Masters, etc.) on the tour, but others do, and that some exemptions are limited as to number of tournaments. Also, how is the pecking order established?

I have never understood how all this is done.

Thanks for the comments. I would be more than happy to do a follow up on the subject and answer the questions you have posed. If anyone else has further inquiries, please post them here and I’ll try to include a response to all of them in a follow up article in a few weeks.

Thanks again,

I get the top 125 money list and the exeptions it provides a given player for the following year. What I do not get is when the commentator says it is important because the top 125 players can set their schedule for next year.

Another question I have is the same as TRAV’s, how are the pairings determined at each tournatment? Bill Haas never seems to play with Vijay, Tiger or Phil. If the threesomes were selected at random you would think he would end up playing with someone in the top 25 once in a while.

Finally, how are the tee times determined for the first two rounds?

And these aren’t enough questions to keep you busy, please let us know …..

“Reavie did not earn an exemption for 2009 with his victory at the RBC Canadian Open, however, as this is not a Tour cosponsored event.”

Yes it is, and yes he did earn a two year exmemption. I was at his winning press conference when he was asked about it.

hi just wondering when a player is lucky enough to win more than once in a season, how does the exemption work for each event, do they run concurrently or one after another

regards colm

same question as colm. if a player wins more than once in the same year how does the exemption work.do they run concurrently or consecutive.

also how do you earn a lifetime exemption?

Davis Love III scored his 20th PGA Tour victory last November. Why was he not in the field of this years Masters?

Because he won a Fall Series event after the Tour Championship. They don’t count for the Masters the same way a “regular season” win does.

Hope to answer some of these:

1. You get up to five additional years for multiple wins (ie if you win three times you get a 5 year exemption) 2. The top 50 golfers ranked in the world that play in each non invitationals get the preferred times and the rest are picked at random. 3. Jay Williamson (25th Q) got into 19 events as of 10/4 and Ricky Barnes (25th NW) got into 20 events. 4. Each non invite tournament is has 132 or 144 players. They are ranked by each of the 33 categories. In order for a PGA player to keep his card he must play in at least 15 events per year. The top 100 players average about 20. So the tournaments get probably 90-100 of the 1-19 exempt status players enter each week. That is done on the Friday before the tournament. Then there is a stand by list where you are ranked by priority. Each week, there is always a couple of people that commit drop out.

If a PGA player missed the 125 players for the year, however qualified and made it to play in a tournament.. What is his status for that year if he wins a tournament,

What is Billy Hurley III’s Past Tour Winner Status ?

What exemptions do you get for second or third in a major?

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Exemptions for Royal Troon

The r&a release exemption categories for the 152nd open.

The R&A has issued the exemption categories for The 152nd Open at Royal Troon.

A change has been made to the Champions’ exemption category. From 2024, players winning The Open will be exempt until the age of 55. All golfers currently exempt as past Champions will be able to play in the Championship until the age of 60.

A new exemption will offer players competing on the Asian Tour, the Japan Golf Tour, the PGA Tour of Australasia and the Sunshine Tour the opportunity to qualify through the International Federation Ranking list. The leading five golfers as of the closing date of entries will be awarded places in The Open.

An exemption for the Africa Amateur Champion has also been added. It will be taken up this year by Altin van der Merwe (above) after his victory in the inaugural championship at Leopard Creek last month.

A medical exemption is being granted to Michael Hendry after he was unable to take his place in The 151st Open last year due to serious illness.

Golfers aspiring to qualify for golf’s original championship can now submit entries for Regional and Final Qualifying events taking place from June this year.

Players who already have an exemption into The 152nd Open can submit an entry form here .

More from The 152nd Open

• The 152nd Open
• The Open Qualifying Series

Player Feature

Open greats / tiger woods at the open, open insight, champion golfers / the trends of recent years at the open, history of the open, notable firsts at the open / when history was made.

Navigating Exemption Categories: How PGA Tour Events Determine Qualifications

As the prestigious Korn Ferry Tour arrives in Argentina this week for the highly anticipated 117 Visa Argentina Open, fans and players alike are gearing up for a thrilling showcase of talent and determination. However, one name that won’t be on the list of competitors is Zack Fischer, the defending champion of the tournament.

A Disappointing Twist of Fate

Despite his remarkable victory in the previous edition of the Argentina Open, Fischer has expressed his deep disappointment as he found out that he did not receive an exemption to compete in the event. Taking to social media, Fischer announced that he had pleaded for a sponsor’s invite but to no avail. Instead, the sought-after invitation was extended to the renowned former Masters winner, Angel Cabrera, who recently returned to the tour following a prison sentence.

I am incredibly disappointed to say that I will not be able to defend my title at the Argentina Open on the @KornFerryTour next week. I have pleaded my case but they have other plans for the exemptions. That being said 2024 will still be my best year ever!

“I am incredibly disappointed to say that I will not be able to defend my title at the Argentina Open on the @KornFerryTour next week,” Fischer expressed on social media. “I have pleaded my case but they have other plans for the exemptions. That being said, 2024 will still be my best year ever!”

The Intricacies of Defending Champion Status

One might question whether reigning champions of PGA Tour-sanctioned events are automatically invited back to defend their titles. While this is generally the case, the situation surrounding the Argentina Open adds a layer of complexity.

A spokesperson from the PGA Tour clarified that both the PGA Tour and Korn Ferry Tour have an exemption category called “Past Champion of Current Week’s Event” for almost all tournaments, excluding the four Korn Ferry Tour Finals events. However, when Fischer triumphed at the Argentina Open, it was not yet a part of the Korn Ferry Tour.

Last December, the PGA Tour announced that the tournament would be moved to March and included in the Korn Ferry schedule. Consequently, the Argentina Open does not technically have a defending champion to qualify under the “Past Champion of Current Week’s Event” category.

I know God has big plans for me and my family. I have never received a sponsor exemption in my 13 years of pro golf but that won’t stop me from doing what God has called me to do.

Despite facing this setback, Fischer remains resilient and optimistic about his future in the sport. In a follow-up tweet, he revealed his plans to compete on the PGA Tour Americas, a recently established developmental tour resulting from the merger of the PGA Tour Latinoamerica and PGA Tour Canada. Fischer expressed his excitement to embark on this new chapter in his golfing journey, emphasizing his faith and unwavering determination to fulfill his calling.

The Evolution of Professional Golf

It’s worth noting that exemptions for defending champions are not uncommonly impacted by changes in event promotions and demotions across the PGA Tour, Korn Ferry Tour, and other developmental tours. A parallel example took place in 2018 when the Corales Puntacana Championship, formerly a Korn Ferry Tour event, transitioned into a PGA Tour event. In this case, Nate Lashley, the previous winner of the tournament during its time on the Korn Ferry Tour, was not granted an exemption as a defending champion due to the point at which he had earned his PGA Tour card. Nonetheless, Lashley defied the odds and participated in the event, delivering an impressive performance in his title defense.

With each passing season, the golfing world witnesses new chapters, ever-expanding horizons, and extraordinary stories of resilience. As Fischer embarks on his journey on the PGA Tour Americas, the anticipation mounts as fans eagerly follow his path, poised to witness the unfolding of his unique narrative on the grand stage of professional golf.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

What is the history of the argentina open.

The Argentina Open is one of the oldest and most prestigious golf tournaments in South America. It has a rich history dating back to its inception in [YEAR]. Over the years, it has attracted top golfers from around the world to compete for the coveted title.

Why couldn’t Zack Fischer defend his title?

The inability of Zack Fischer to defend his title could be due to various reasons, such as scheduling conflicts, injury, personal reasons, or a decision to focus on other tournaments or aspects of his career.

What exemption category qualifies players for PGA Tour events?

Players can qualify for PGA Tour events through various exemption categories, including past champions, current Tour members, top finishers in specific events, sponsor exemptions, and through the Web.com Tour or Korn Ferry Tour.

Who received a sponsor’s invite for this year’s Argentina Open?

The recipient of a sponsor’s invite for the Argentina Open would depend on the decisions made by the tournament organizers and sponsors. Typically, these invites are extended to promising players who may not have otherwise qualified but are seen as deserving of an opportunity to compete.

Has the PGA Tour experienced similar situations with defending champions?

Yes, the PGA Tour has experienced situations where defending champions were unable to defend their titles for various reasons. It’s not uncommon in professional sports for athletes to face challenges or circumstances that impact their ability to participate in tournaments.

Which tour will Zack Fischer compete in this season?

The tour that Zack Fischer will compete in this season would depend on his current status and goals. He may compete on the PGA Tour, Korn Ferry Tour, or other professional tours based on his eligibility and opportunities available to him.

How long has Zack Fischer been playing professional golf?

Zack Fischer’s professional golf career duration would depend on when he turned professional. Typically, professional golfers start their careers after completing their amateur careers, often in their early twenties or after collegiate play.

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R&A makes big change to champions exemption category ahead of 152nd Open in July

From 2024, players winning The Open will be exempt until the age of 55 as opposed to 60.

The R&A has confirmed there will be a change to the champions exemption category from this year's 152nd Open Championship at Royal Troon. 

From 2024, players etching their name on the famous Claret Jug will be exempt until the age of 55 .

All golfers currently exempt as past champions will be able to play in The Open until the age of 60 .

This year's championship will be contested at Royal Troon in Scotland from 18-21 July. 

Related: Old Course at St Andrews announces huge update for golf fans

The R&A also confirmed there will be a new exemption for players competing on the Asian Tour, the Japan Golf Tour, the PGA Tour of Australasia and the Sunshine Tour. Players on each of these circuits will now have the opportunity to qualify through the International Federation Ranking list. The leading five golfers as of the closing date of entries will be awarded places in The Open.

An exemption for the Africa Amateur Champion has also been added, and it will be taken up this year by Altin van der Merwe following his victory in the inaugural championship at Leopard Creek last month.

A medical exemption has also been granted to Michael Hendry after he was unable to take his place in The 151st Open last year due to serious illness.

The R&A also confirmed earlier today that the leading player not already exempt who makes the cut at the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard this week will earn a place in The 152nd Open at Royal Troon.

The 152 nd  Open will be played at Royal Troon from 14-21 July 2024

The Open is golf’s original championship.

Played since 1860 on iconic links golf courses, it is the sport’s most international major championship with qualifying events on every continent.

For one week each year, the pursuit of the famous Claret Jug trophy is the focus of the sporting world, followed globally by millions of fans.

Staged by The R&A, The Open delivers an annual economic benefit of around £100 million to its host region, while the Championship’s commercial success supports the development of the game, worldwide.

Please visit  TheOpen.com  for the full list of exemption categories for The 152 nd  Open at Royal Troon.

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PGA Tour, DP World Tour announce stunning new exemption guidelines

The DP World Tour, now more than ever before, appears to be acting as a feeder tour for the PGA Tour across the pond.

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Share All sharing options for: PGA Tour, DP World Tour announce stunning new exemption guidelines

Before Tiger Woods burst onto the scene in the late 1990s, the European Tour—now the DP World Tour for sponsorship reasons—competed head-to-head against the PGA Tour.

Both circuits had amazing talent, with the likes of Seve Ballesteros, Sam Torrance, Ian Woosnam, Sir Nick Faldo, Bernhard Langer, and Colin Montgomerie leading the European charge.

But times have changed.

The DP World Tour is now a feeder tour to the PGA Tour, and Monday’s announcement boldens that claim.

Beginning with the 2024 season, full membership on the DP World Tour is available to players who finish in positions 126th to 200th in the 2023 FedEx Cup Fall points list.

Furthermore, affiliate membership of the DP World Tour is available to any other PGA Tour player who participates in any Race to Dubai tournament during the 2024 season.

The Race to Dubai is the DP World Tour’s equivalent of the FedEx Cup.

Affiliate members and non-members will now appear on a new ‘Non-Member Race to Dubai Points List’ following the first tournament where they earn points.

Should affiliate members play more than four qualifying events on the DP World Tour, they will earn a spot in the DP World Tour playoffs.

Meanwhile, those who finish the FedEx Cup fall ranked 125th and above will obtain PGA Tour cards for the 2024 season.

“When we announced our Strategic Alliance with the PGA Tour in November 2021, one of the prime objectives was to give as many opportunities as possible to members of both Tours, and this is another perfect example of how this is working,” said David Howell, the Chairman of the DP World Tour’s Tournament Committee.

Sure, more opportunities will exist for more players, but the DP World Tour will house those who could not qualify for the PGA Tour.

Those PGA Tour players ranked between 126th and 200th in the FedEx Cup fall standings who take up full membership will play from a newly created category within the 2024 DP World Tour exemption category list.

Only five players from this category can play in a DP World Tour event in any given week—meaning only five PGA Tour players can enter a DP World Tour field.

That will help protect current players on the DP World Tour, but it does not protect the European circuit’s top talent.

The top 10 players on the DP World Tour’s 2023 Race to Dubai rankings—not otherwise exempt—will earn PGA Tour cards for the 2024 season.

So, the best of the DP World Tour will head to the PGA Tour, meaning it will be deprived of its top talent.

Here are the top 10 players in the rankings—not otherwise exempt—following Adrian Meronk’s win at the Andalucia Masters :

• Adrian Meronk (Poland)
• Ryan Fox (New Zealand)
• Victor Perez (France)
• Min Woo Lee (Australia)
• Alexander Björk (Sweden)
• Robert MacIntyre (Scotland)
• Ryo Hisatsune (Japan)
• Thorbjørn Olesen (Denmark)
• Joost Luiten (Netherlands)
• Marcel Siem (Germany)

What is great about this list is that 10 different countries are represented. Yet, these players will be plucked from the DP World Tour.

Ballesteros is likely rolling over in his grave, but the DP World Tour faced no other options. They have been strapped for cash—only turning a profit on years in which Europe hosts the Ryder Cup . Hence, the strategic alliance that was announced a couple of years ago.

Of course, there are ongoing negotiations between the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, and the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund on the future of professional golf.

Nobody knows what the sport will look like in 2025, but in 2024, the writing on the wall is clear that the DP World Tour is the minor league affiliate of the PGA Tour.

Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko for more golf coverage. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough too.

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Maximum age of past champions reduced as R&A reveals Open exemptions changes ahead of Royal Troon

Published: 06 March 2024

The R&A have announced changes to the qualifying exemptions for this year's Open Championship at Royal Troon.

The winner of The Open at Royal Troon will be given a shorter exemption into the historic golf Major than previous winners, the R&A has revealed.

Previously, the winner of the Claret Jug has been exempt until the age of 60, but from 2024 that will be reduced to 55. All past champions’ exemptions will remain unchanged.

Tom Watson famously came agonizingly close to winning a sixth Claret Jug just seven weeks before his 60th birthday at Turnberry in 2009, but future champions will not get such an opportunity.

The announcement came as the R&A revealed a new exemption category that will offer players competing on the Asian Tour, the Japan Golf Tour, the PGA Tour of Australasia, and the Sunshine Tour the opportunity to qualify through the International Federation Ranking list. The leading five golfers will be awarded places in The Open, giving LIV golfers, who don’t receive OWGR points on their own tour, another avenue into the Major.

Several LIV players were already competing on those International tours to earn world-ranking points and gain spots in the Majors, including American pro Andy Ogletree, who is currently second in the International Federation Ranking list.

The likes of Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, Jon Rahm, and Bryson DeChambeau are already exempt thanks to recent Major victories, while Phil Mickelson’s 2013 Muirfield win ensures he’ll return to Troon alongside Henrik Stenson – the man who beat him on a dramatic final day the last time the tournament was held at Troon in 2016.

An exemption for the Africa Amateur Champion has also been added. Altin van der Merwe will take this year’s spot after his victory in the inaugural championship at Leopard Creek last month.

The R&A has also granted a medical exemption to Michael Hendry after a serious illness left him unable to play in the 151 st  Open at Royal Liverpool.

Nine players have already booked their spots at Troon through The Open Qualifying Series.

Dean Burmester, Darren Fichardt and Dan Bradbury qualified at the Joburg Open before Joaquin Niemann, Rikuya Hoshino and Adam Scott earned the three places available at the ISPS Handa Australian Open.

The first qualifying event of 2024 was the IRS Prima Malaysian Open at The Mines Resort & Golf Club in February. David Puig finished with back-to-back 62s to claim victory and he will be joined in Troon by runner-up Jeunghun Wang and Denwit Boriboonsub.

The Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard, the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday, the RBC Canadian Open and the John Deere Classic will offer golfers on the PGA TOUR opportunities to qualify.

On the DP World Tour, places will be awarded at the KLM Open, Italian Open and Genesis Scottish Open, which is co-sanctioned with the PGA TOUR. 

The Mizuno Open will also offer three places when it is played at JFE Setonaikai, Okayama, in May. And two places will be offered at the KOLON Korea Open, which will be staged at Woo Jeong Hills in Cheonan in June.

Final Qualifying events  will be held at Burnham & Berrow, Dundonald Links, Royal Cinque Ports and West Lancashire on 2 July with a minimum of 16 places available. This will follow  14 Regional Qualifying events  taking place on 24 June. Fulford and Bearwood Lakes have been added to the list of venues hosting Regional Qualifying.

Who has already qualified for the 2024 Open Championship at Royal Troon?

Andersen, Mason – 15 Bjork, Alexander – 6 Boriboonsub, Denwit – OQS Malaysia Bradbury, Dan – OQS South Africa Bradley, Keegan – 13 Burmester, Dean – OQS South Africa Burns, Sam – 13 Campillo, Jorge – 6 Cantlay, Patrick – 13 Cejka, Alex – 18 Cink, Stewart – 1 Clark, Wyndham – 9, 13 Clarke, Darren – 1 Conners, Corey – 13 Curtis, Ben – 1 Daly, John – 1 Day, Jason – 4, 13 DeChambeau, Bryson – 9 De La Fuente, Santiago – 24  Duval, David – 1 Els, Ernie – 1 Fichardt, Darren – OQS South Africa Finau, Tony – 13 Fitzpatrick, Matt – 6, 9, 13 Fleetwood, Tommy – 4, 6, 13 Fowler, Rickie – 13 Fox, Ryan – 6, 7 Glover, Lucas – 13 Grillo, Emiliano – 4, 13 Hamilton, Todd – 1 Harman, Brian – 1, 3, 4, 13 Harrington, Padraig – 1 Hatton, Tyrrell – 6, 13 Hendry, Michael – 27 Henley, Russell – 13 Hillier, Daniel – 6 Hisatsune, Ryo – 6 Hojgaard, Nicolai – 6 Hojgaard, Rasmus – 6 Homa, Max – 4, 13 Horschel, Billy – 7 Hoshino, Rikuya – OQS Australia Hovland, Viktor – 6, 13 Im, Sungjae – 13 Iwasaki, Aguri – 17 Johnson, Dustin – 10 Johnson, Zach – 1, 3 Jordan, Matthew – 4 Kim, Tom – 4, 6, 13 Kim, Si Woo – 13 Koepka, Brooks – 11 Langasque, Romain – 6 Lawrence, Thriston – 6 Lawrie, Paul – 1 Lee, Min Woo – 6 Leonard, Justin – 1 Lowry, Shane – 1, 3, 7 Luiten, Joost – 6 MacIntyre, Robert – 6 Matsuyama, Hideki – 10 McIlroy, Rory – 1, 3, 4, 6, 13 Meronk, Adrian – 6 Mickelson, Phil – 1, 3, 11 Molinari, Francesco – 1, 3 Moore, Taylor – 13 Morikawa, Collin – 1, 3, 11, 13 Niemann, Joaquin – OQS Australia Norrman, Vincent – 6 Olesen, Thorbjorn – 6 Oosthuizen, Louis – 1 Paul, Yannik – 6 Pavon, Mathieu – 6 Perez, Victor – 6 Puig, David – OQS Malaysia Rahm, Jon – 4, 6, 9, 10, 13 Sargent, Gordon – 22 Schauffele, Xander – 13 Scheffler, Scottie – 10, 12, 13 Schenk, Adam – 13 Scott, Adam – OQS Australia Sharma, Shubhankar – 4 Siem, Marcel – 6 Smith, Cameron – 1, 3, 12 Smith, Jordan – 6 Soderberg, Sebastian – 6 Spieth, Jordan – 1, 3, 13 Stenson, Henrik – 1, 3 Straka, Sepp – 4, 13 Stubbs, Jasper – 23 Taylor, Nick – 13 Thomas, Justin – 11 Valimaki, Sami – 6 Wallace, Matt – 6 Wang, Jeunghun – OQS Malaysia Woodland, Gary – 9 Woods, Tiger – 1, 10 Young, Cameron – 4

Exemption Categories:

1. The Open Champions aged 60 or under on 21 July 2024 (for all Champions up to 2024) 2. The Open Champions aged 55 or under on 21 July 2024 (for all Champions from 2024) 3. The Open Champions for 2013-2023 4. First 10 anyone tying for 10th place in The 151st Open at Royal Liverpool in 2023 5. The first 50 players on the OWGR for Week 21, 2024 6. First 30 in the Final Race to Dubai Rankings for 2023 7. The BMW PGA Championship winners for 2021-2023 8. First five DP World Tour members and any Race to Dubai members tying for 5th place, not otherwise exempt, in the top 20 of the Race to Dubai Rankings on completion of the 2024 BMW International 9. The US Open Champions for 2019-2024 10. The Masters Tournament Champions for 2019-2024 11. The PGA Champions for 2018-2024 12. The PLAYERS Champions for 2022-2024 13. Top 30 players for the Final 2023 FedEx Cup 14. First 5 PGA TOUR members and any PGA TOUR members tying for 5th place, not exempt in the top 20 of the PGA TOUR FedEx Cup for 2024 on completion of the 2024 Travelers Championship 15. The 117th VISA Open de Argentina 2024 Champion 16. The first 5 players on the 2024 Federations Ranking List as of closing date 17. The Japan Open Champion for 2023 18. The Senior Open Champion for 2023 19. The Amateur Champion for 2024 20. The US Amateur Champion for 2023 21. The European Amateur Champion for 2024 22. The Mark H McCormack Medal (Men’s World Amateur Golf Ranking) winner for 2023 23. The Asia-Pacific Amateur Champion 2023 24. The Latin America Amateur Champion 2024 25. The Open Amateur Series winner 2024 26. The Africa Amateur Champion 2024 27. Medical Exemption Exemptions 19-26 can only be taken up by players retaining their amateur status.

Open Qualifying Series Events 2024

OQS South Africa – Joburg Open OQS Australia – ISPS Handa Australian Open OQS USA – Arnold Palmer Invitational OQS Malaysia – IRS Prima Malaysian Open OQS Japan – Mizuno Open OQS Canada – RBC Canadian Open OQS USA – the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday OQS Korea – KOLON Korea Open OQS Netherlands – KLM Open OQS Italy – Italian Open OQS USA – John Deere Classic OQS Scotland – Genesis Scottish Open Final Qualifying – Burnham & Berrow Final Qualifying – Dundonald Links Final Qualifying – Royal Cinque Ports Final Qualifying – West Lancashire

If a golfer who earns a qualifying place through an Open Qualifying Series event before the closing date for entries then becomes exempt under one or more other categories, that qualifying place will be awarded to the next best-placed non-exempt golfer at that qualifying event.

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Rob specializes in the DP World Tour, PGA Tour, LIV Golf, and the Ryder Cup, spending large chunks of his days reading about, writing about, and watching the tours each month.

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R&a makes key changes to open championship exemption categories starting in 2024, share this article.

The R&A has made a change to its exemption categories for future Open Championships starting with the 2024 tournament at Royal Troon, but it isn’t to include more LIV Golf players.

On Wednesday the governing body announced that past champions will only be exempt until the age of 55. The current age cap is 60. All golfers currently exempt as past champions will be grandfathered in and still be able to play the Open until 60.

In addition, a new exemption will be offered to players on the Asian Tour, Japan Golf Tour, PGA Tour of Australasia and the Sunshine Tour to qualify through the International Federation Ranking list, where the top five players on the list will earn a spot in the Open. An exemption for the Africa Amateur Champion has also been added.

Solely for the 2024 Open Championship at Royal Troon, July 18-21, Michael Hendry has been granted a medical exemption after he was unable to play in last year’s Open due to serious illness.

LIV players have been clamoring for a special exemption category even before the league withdrew its application for Official World Golf Ranking points. As it stands now, the following 13 players will tee it up at Royal Troon this summer:

Dean Burmester, Bryson DeChambeau. Tyrrell Hatton, Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, Adrian Meronk, Phil Mickelson, Joaquin Niemann, Louis Oosthuizen, David Puig, Jon Rahm, Cameron Smith and Henrik Stenson.

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Who had the worst start ever at the Masters? (Greg Chalmers raises his hand)

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Pinehurst #10 opened this week. Want to play it?

How these LIV golfers qualified for the 2024 Masters

LIV pros Jon Rahm (left) and Joaquin Niemann (right) earned their Masters invites in very different ways.

Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

The field at the 2024 Masters features a handful of players who ply their trades with LIV Golf . But how did these LIV Golf players qualify for the Masters? Here’s everything you need to know.

How LIV pros got into the Masters

In all, there are thirteen LIV Golf players who earned invites to this year’s Masters. Those players are Bryson DeChambeau, Sergio Garcia, Tyrrell Hatton, Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, Adrian Meronk, Phil Mickelson, Joaquin Niemann, Jon Rahm, Patrick Reed, Charl Schwartzel, Cameron Smith and Bubba Watson.

7 best LIV Golf players NOT in the 2024 Masters

Aside from earning a lifetime exemption for winning the Masters, as is the case with the majority of the 13 LIV players in the field, the easiest way to get into the Masters is by winning a PGA Tour event in the past year or getting within the top 50 in the Official World Golf Ranking.

That’s a problem for LIV pros because they are barred from Tour events and LIV tournaments do not award world ranking points. As a result, several top LIV pros were left out this week .

But those who qualified did so under 20 different Masters exemption categories, which are as follows:

2024 Masters exemption categories

• Previous Masters winners (lifetime);
• Winners of the five most recent U.S. Opens;
• Winners of the five most recent Open Championships;
• Winners of the five most recent PGA Championships;
• Winners of the three most recent Players Championships;
• The current Olympic gold medalist (one year);
• The current U.S. Amateur champion and runner-up (one year; must remain an amateur);
• The current Amateur champion (one year; must remain an amateur);
• The current Asia-Pacific Amateur champion (one year; must remain an amateur);
• The current Latin America Amateur champion (one year; must remain an amateur);
• The current U.S. Mid-Amateur champion (one year; must remain an amateur);
• The current NCAA DI men’s individual champion (one year; must remain an amateur);
• The first 12 players, including ties, in the previous year’s Masters;
• The first four players, including ties, in the previous year’s U.S. Open;
• The first four players, including ties, in the previous year’s Open Championship;
• The first four players, including ties, in the previous year’s PGA Championship;
• Individual winners of PGA Tour events that award a full-point allocation for the season-ending Tour Championship, from the previous Masters to the current Masters;
• Those qualifying for the previous year’s season-ending Tour Championship;
• The 50 leaders on the final Official World Golf Ranking for the previous calendar year;
• The 50 leaders on the Official World Golf Ranking published during the week prior to the current Masters Tournament.

One LIV player, Joaquin Niemann, didn’t meet any of the 20 exemption categories, but Augusta National offered him a special invitation .

Below you can view all 13 LIV Golf players in the Masters field, with the numbers representing their exemption categories next to each name.

LIV golfers Masters exemptions

Bryson DeChambeau (2, 16) Sergio Garcia (1) Tyrrell Hatton (18, 19, 20) Dustin Johnson (1) Brooks Koepka (4, 13, 19, 20) Adrian Meronk (19) Phil Mickelson (1, 4, 13) Joaquin Niemann (Special invitation) Jon Rahm (1, 2, 15, 18, 19, 20) Patrick Reed (1, 13) Charl Schwartzel (1) Cameron Smith (3, 5, 14, 19) Bubba Watson (1)

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The Masters 2024: Sir Nick Faldo’s Champions Dinner memories

Ahead of the Masters Champions Dinner taking place later on Tuesday at Augusta National, three-time Green Jacket winner Sir Nick Faldo tells us about his favourite memories from the pre-tournament tradition.

The Champions Dinner began in 1952 when defending champion Ben Hogan organised a dinner for all previous winners of the Major Championship.

The defending champion acts as host and selects the menu, with this week being the turn of Jon Rahm after he claimed his second Major victory and first Green Jacket in Georgia last year.

Having won the Masters on three occasions in 1989, 1990 and 1996, six-time Major winner Faldo has attended his fair share of Champions Dinners.

Among his great memories is how Vijay Singh, champion in 2000, was the first player to start the tradition of canapés in advance of the main dinner.

In terms of his own menu choices, Faldo deems his fish and chips offering in 1997 ranks among his top three.

In contrast, the Englishman ranks Bubba Watson's 2013 choice of grilled chicken breast along with macaroni and cheese for the main meal as among the worst, branding it at the time as a 'Happy Meal' .

This year’s Masters Club dinner, at which Faldo will again be present, will give past winners a taste of Rahm's home Basque region, as part of variety of dishes hailing from Spanish cuisine.

Among the starter options is Rahm's grandmother's home cooked inspired Lentil Stew, along with a mix of tapas and pintxos including spicy Basque chorizo.

The menu then sees crab salad served before a choice of ribeye steak or turbot.

For desert, it’s a puff pastry cake served with custard and Chantilly cream.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Masters (@themasters)

Watch the video at the top of the page to hear some of his best tales from the most exclusive dinner party in golf.

The Masters 2024: Rory McIlroy in positive mindset ahead of Grand Slam bid

Rory McIlroy believes his decision to play more often in advance of this year’s Masters Tournament will not only benefit his chances of winning a first Green Jacket but also success for the remainder of the season.

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ANWA Winner Lottie Woad Earns Exemption Into Chevron Championship, Other Majors

Celebrating judy rankin, one of golf’s original glass-breakers.

• chevron-championship

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Lottie Woad joined an elite list of Augusta National Women’s Amateur champions on Saturday afternoon at Augusta National Golf Club, finishing birdie-birdie on one of golf’s most hallowed grounds to write her own chapter of history in Augusta, Ga.

She is now the fifth different ANWA winner, alongside Jennifer Kupcho, Tsubasa Kajitani, Anna Davis and Rose Zhang, and after a hard-fought battle late in the final round, the 20-year-old was relieved to end a demanding week competing against the world’s most talented amateurs at the top of the leaderboard.

“I knew teeing off, only having a two-shot lead, at some point during the round, someone was probably going to overtake me with it being scorable,” said Woad. “I looked at the pins before, and they were in some pretty nice locations, so I was prepared for someone to go low. When I ended up being two back, I was like, I've got these birdie chances that they have.

“Just gave myself the chances at the end and luckily holed some putts. I was hoping it was going to be a nice stress-free day, but it was far from that. In the end, it's a cooler way to finish.”

What’s also cool for Woad are the perks that come with being the Augusta National Women’s Amateur champion. The England native will be given exemptions into four of the LPGA Tour’s major championships, including The Chevron Championship, the U.S. Women’s Open, The Amundi Evian Championship and the AIG Women’s Open, the first of which is just over a week away, set to begin on April 18 at The Club at Carlton Woods just outside of Houston, Texas.

Unlike many of her ANWA counterparts, Woad has yet to tee it up in an LPGA Tour event, something that's a bit uncommon for such a strong amateur player. So, while she is incredibly proud to have won in spectacular fashion at Augusta National Golf Club, Woad is just as much looking forward to the opportunities she’ll have to compete alongside the best players in the world on the biggest stage in women’s golf this spring and summer.

“I was trying to not think about what came with it when I was playing, but now, looking back on it, it's pretty cool what I'm going to be able to play in this summer, and it was one of the goals this year,” said Woad. “But it's so hard to win a golf tournament. So, I just keep trying to put myself in the right places. Got one over the line here. I'm just really happy.”

Woad will have until Tuesday at 5 p.m. ET to decide if she will enter The Chevron Championship, and if she does choose to play, Woad will have won at Augusta National Golf Club and played in her first major championship in a span of just 12 days by the time she tees it up on Thursday in The Woodlands, Texas. And with aspirations to one day be traipsing the fairways right alongside the LPGA Tour’s greatest stars, Woad will carefully weigh her options in the coming days as she makes her decision, grateful to even be in this position with an opportunity to choose.

“It's what I want to do. I want to be a professional and to be playing in these events,” said Woad. “To get this experience so early on is going to be great for me. I haven't played in a major before. I think I've played in a couple of pro events but never an LPGA event. So, this is going to be really exciting for me."

Congrats to @LottieWoad 👏👏 We’ll see you at @Chevron_Golf ! https://t.co/Hi0Vp8p8MS — LPGA (@LPGA) April 6, 2024

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