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What Are the Requirements for a PGA Tour Card? 6 Ways to Earn One

Here are 6 ways to earn a PGA Tour card

• DESCRIPTION Ben Martin becomes Tour Bound
• SOURCE James Gilbert / Contributor
• PERMISSION Getty Image license

In a lot of ways, getting a PGA Tour card is like winning the lottery. The path is simple, but the odds are against you. If you beat those odds, however, the payout is handsome.

To play as a member on the PGA Tour, you must have a PGA Tour card. Players earn their card by accomplishing one of several requirements. Here’s a breakdown of just how to earn a PGA Tour card, and six ways to snag one.

1. PGA Tour Q-School

PGA Tour Q-School used to be a direct path to the PGA Tour. Then Q-School stopped giving players PGA Tour cards, giving them status on the Korn Ferry Tour instead, where they could play for spots on the PGA Tour over the course of an entire season. But now, just like in years past, players can earn a PGA Tour card through Q-School and head straight to the PGA Tour. However, only the top five finishers from the final stage of Q-School earn PGA Tour cards and get to head directly to the PGA Tour.

Korn Ferry Tour: Strategies to Qualify and Challenges to Expect

2. Korn Ferry Tour Points

The most direct path to the PGA Tour is through the Korn Ferry Tour. While gaining Korn Ferry Tour status is no breeze in itself, once there, players have multiple avenues to earn their PGA Tour card.

There are 30 PGA Tour cards up for grabs through the Korn Ferry Tour each year. The top 30 players from the Korn Ferry Tour's season-long standings after the KFT Championship earn cards.

Getting into the Korn Ferry Tour is a process in itself, which can be accomplished through Korn Ferry Tour Qualifying School , or via the Forme Tour , Mackenzie (Canadian) Tour, or the PGA Tour Latinoamerica.

3. Korn Ferry Tour Three-Win Promotion

Korn Ferry Tour players can jump directly to the PGA Tour through an exemption known as the Three-Win Promotion . This promotion is exactly what it sounds like, after three Korn Ferry Tour wins in one season, a player gains his PGA Tour card.

The three-win promotion has proven to be a tough route to the big tour, as only 12 players have accomplished the feat since 1997.

4. PGA Tour Special Temporary Membership

Players can bypass the Korn Ferry Tour and jump straight to the PGA Tour by gaining PGA Tour Special Temporary Membership, then parlaying that into a PGA Tour card.

The PGA Tour reserves a small number of spots each week for non-Tour members through sponsor exemptions and Monday qualifiers. Non-members who compete in PGA Tour events through these avenues and perform well enough can earn Special Temporary Membership by accumulating the amount of FedExCup points equal to the player who finished 150th on the FedExCup list the previous season.

Once a player has accepted Special Temporary Membership, they can accept unlimited sponsor exemptions into PGA Tour events and can earn their card by finishing in the top 125 of the FedExCup points list during the regular season.

Without Special Temporary Membership, non-members can only accept up to seven sponsor exemptions and compete in up to 12 PGA Tour events in a season.

Players on a Special Temporary Membership are not eligible for the FedExCup playoffs.

5. PGA Tour U Gets College Golfers to the PGA Tour

Through PGA Tour U , the PGA Tour has removed some hurdles for the top collegiate players who begin their transition into the professional ranks when their amateur careers end.

Top collegiate players in the final year of their college careers earn ranking points based on their performance in the NCAA Division I championship, PGA Tour events, major championships, and the Dubai Desert Classic. At the end of the season, five PGA Tour University first-team and second-team honorees are identified, along with 10 PGA Tour University third-team players. 

The top player earns PGA TOUR membership for the rest of the season, plus the followig season. The top five players earn Korm Ferry Tour membership for the rest of the season, a spot in the Final Stage of Q-School, and the opportunity to accept unlimited sponsor exemptions into PGA Tour events throug the following season.

Nos. 6-10 earn conditional Korn Ferry Tour status for the current season, an exemption into the North American portion of the PGA TOUR Americas schedule, and an exemption into Second Stage of Q-School.

The 10 third-team honorees get exemptions to the North America Swing of the PGA TOUR Americas and exemptions into the Second Stage of Q-School.

6. Win a PGA Tour Event or Major Championship

The fastest way to earn a PGA Tour card is also the least likely. Anybody who wins a PGA Tour event gets an immediate two-year PGA Tour exemption. This means that any non-member who gets into the field at a PGA Tour event via a sponsor exemption or Monday qualifier, and goes on to win that event, gets their PGA Tour card.

While yes, this path is extremely rare, it's exactly what Nick Dunlap did in 2024. He entered a PGA Tour event, the American Express, as an amateur, and despite the astronomica odds, won the tournament. Shortly after, Dunlap took advantage of his two-plus year PGA Tour exemption by turning pro.

Major champions get even more luxury, securing a five-year exemption to both the PGA Tour and European Tour. Three of the four major championships each year reserve spots for amateur players , meaning that theoretically an amateur could win the Masters, U.S. Open or Open Championship and secure their PGA Tour card for the next five years.

Benefits of a Tour Card

By having a PGA Tour card, a golfer can play in PGA Tour events. Many players also receive sponsor endorsements and advertising contracts. The PGA Tour card provides the player the opportunity to win large purses in tournaments . Players who make the cut in routine PGA Tour events generally cash at least a five-figure check, with that amount increasing with higher-stature events and major championships.

In 1965, the first PGA Tour Qualifying Tournament (called Q-School) was held and John Schlee won the event. In 1968 and 1969 and from 1975 to 1981, there were two tournaments each year.

Until 2013, Q-School was used to grant membership to the PGA Tour. From 2013 to 2023, Q-School served as a gateway to the Korn Ferry Tour, with PGA Tour Cards handed out through the Korn Ferry Tour regular season and finals.

Misconceptions

Many people think that if a player holds a PGA Tour Card, he can play in any event on the PGA tour. However, new PGA tour players are eligible for tournaments but players commit to tournaments based on their priority ranking. Players with lower priority rankings can only play an event when it's not already full by the time they have a chance to commit.

How to Get on the PGA Tour

• Golf Tournaments
• Golf Courses
• Famous Golfers
• Bodybuilding
• Cheerleading
• Extreme Sports
• Martial Arts
• Professional Wrestling
• Skateboarding
• Swimming & Diving
• Table Tennis
• Track & Field
• Other Activities

PGA Tour qualifying has never been easy. Earning that tour card and the right to call oneself a member of the PGA Tour has always been a difficult endeavor. Beginning in 2013, it got even tougher.

From 1965 through 2012, the "easiest" method of PGA Tour qualifying was through PGA Tour Q-School . "Q-School" was a series of qualifying tournaments culminating in a final tournament, after which a certain number of the top finishers were awarded PGA Tour membership for the following season.

But since 2013, Q-School no longer gets a golfer onto the PGA Tour, and the methods for making the tour are fewer. Q-School still exists, but award spots on the Web.com Tour , the PGA Tour's developmental circuit. The route to the PGA Tour switched from Q-School to the Web.com Tour Finals , a series of season-ending tournaments whose fields are comprised of the Web.com Tour's top money earners, plus PGA Tour golfers who failed to qualify for the PGA Tour's FedEx Cup playoffs.

So the short answer to the question, "What is the primary way of qualifying for PGA Tour membership?" is:

• Become a Web.com Tour member (via Q-School),
• then perform well enough during the season and in the Web.com Tour Finals to advance up to the PGA Tour.

There are a couple other possibilities, which we'll discuss, but that is the most likely route for any golfer.

Earning PGA Tour Card Through Web.com Tour

Remember, a golfer has to first earn Web.com Tour membership via the new Q-School. Once a golfer is on the Web.com Tour, he can "graduate" to the PGA Tour one of two ways:

• Battlefield promotion: Win three times in a single season on the Web.com Tour, and that golfer immediately gains PGA Tour membership. This is referred to as the "battlefield promotion" way to reaching the PGA Tour.
• Web.com Tour Finals: Or earn a PGA Tour card by advancing through the "the Finals."

Here's the short version of how the Web.com Tour Finals awards PGA Tour cards:

• "The Finals" is a series of four Web.com Tour tournaments that follow the conclusion of the Web.com Tour "regular season." Golfers who finish in the Top 75 on the Web.com Tour money list, plus golfers who finish 126-200 on the PGA Tour FedEx Cup points list, make the fields for these tournaments. The first Web.com Tour Finals took place in September 2013.
• A total of 50 golfers earns PGA Tour cards through the Web.com Tour Finals process. Golfers who finish 1-25 on the Web.com money list are guaranteed 25 of those cards (but still play the Finals to establish priority ranking); the other 25 cards go to the golfers earning the most cumulative money in the Finals tournaments.

Other Methods of PGA Tour Qualifying

So, beginning in 2013 the Web.com Tour Finals replaced PGA Tour Q-School as the means of earning a PGA Tour card; and Q-School only gets you onto the Web.com Tour, not the PGA Tour.

Are there any other ways - aside from advancing through the Web.com Tour - to earn PGA Tour membership? Yes, there are several other ways, but they are all unlikely to happen.

• Win a PGA Tour Tournament or Major: Hey, we warned you it was unlikely! But if a non-PGA Tour member gets into a PGA Tour event (for example, as a sponsor exemption or through Monday qualifying ), or into a major, and then wins that tournament, he gains PGA Tour membership.
• Earn Lots of Points In Just a Few Tour Appearances: As with above, this PGA Tour qualifying method requires a non-member to get into events through sponsor exemptions or via Monday qualifiers. If a golfer can get into enough tournaments in this fashion - and then perform well enough in those tournaments - he might be able to earn a PGA Tour card. If such a golfer earns enough FedEx Cup points that he would rank in the Top 125 at the end of the season were he a member, he earns a PGA Tour card for the following year. A golfer earning his PGA Tour card through this method does happen, but it is very rare.
• Earn In-Season 'Special Temporary Membership': A golfer can earn "special temporary membership" on the PGA Tour for the current season if he compiles enough FedEx Cup points. He must compile the amount of FedEx Cup points equal to or greater than the points earned by the player in 150th place on the FedEx Cup points list at the end of the prior season. However, such a golfer would still have to earn a tour card for the following season through one of the methods outlined above.

There are other ways for a golfer to remain on the PGA Tour (rather than losing his card) if he is already a PGA Tour member. For non-members, the above methods are the only ways to qualify for PGA Tour membership.

• PGA Tour Q-School (Winners, the Format and What Replaced It)
• FedEx Cup Points Series on the PGA Tour
• Korn Ferry Tour
• The PGA Tour's Oldest Rookies
• LPGA Tour Qualifying Tournament and Q-Series
• Best Big Break Golfers: Top 6 Big Break Alums
• Monday Qualifying on the Pro Golf Tours
• How Justin Thomas Became One of Golf's Rising Stars
• What Is the Charles Schwab Cup?
• Ladies European Tour: The LET's Big Winners and History
• Korn Ferry Tour Schedule: The 2020 Season Rundown
• What It Means to 'Miss the Cut' in a Golf Tournament
• Sponsor Exemptions in Golf: What They Are, How Tournaments Use Them
• Mike Reasor, the PGA Tour Player Who Scored 93-Over Par
• The Zozo Championship Is New PGA Tour Golf Tournament in Japan

Opinion & Analysis

How to qualify for the u.s. amateur (in-depth statistical analysis and tutorial).

This is a follow-up of sorts to an article that I published on GolfWRX in May 2017: A Modern Blueprint to Breaking 80 .  

With the U.S. Amateur concluding at iconic Pebble Beach last weekend, I thought of the many amateurs out there who would love to one day qualify for this prestigious event. Personally, I made it to the State Amateur level, but work and life got in the way and I never made it to the next step. For those who aspire or wonder, here’s an outline of what your game should look like if you want to qualify for the U.S. Amateur.

To start with, your USGA Index needs to be 2.4 or lower to even attempt to qualify. If your course is rated 71.5/130 *, the best 10 of your most recent 20 scores should average 74.3. This score will adjust slightly up if your course is rated more difficult, and slightly down if it’s rated less difficult. For the purposes of this article, I’m assuming the average course and slope rating above.

*Note: 71.5/130 is the average rating of courses played by single digit handicap golfers in the  ShotByShot.com  database of 340,000 rounds.

Your average scores by par type will be:

• Par 3:   3.21
• Par 4:   4.20
• Par 5:   4.86

The Fastest and Easiest Way to Lower Your Scores

Every round is a mix of good shots, average shots and bad shots/errors. The challenge is to determine which piece of your game’s unique puzzle is your greatest weakness in order to target your improvement efforts on the highest impact area. If you track the simple good and bad outcomes listed below for a few rounds, your strengths and weaknesses will become apparent.

Tee Game or Driving  

Goals: Hit EIGHT  fairways and limit your driving errors to ONE,  with the majority being the less costly “No Shot errors” (more on this later).

Distance: I will ignore this and assume you’re maximizing distance as best you can without sacrificing accuracy.

Fairways: Hitting fairways is crucial, as we are all statistically significantly more accurate from the short grass.

Errors: Far more important than Fairways Hit, however, is the FREQUENCY and SEVERITY  of misses. To help golfers understand the weaknesses in their game, my golf analysis program allows users to record and categorize the THREE types of Driving Errors:  

• No Shot : You have missed in a place from which you do not have a normal next shot and require some sort of advancement to get the ball back to normal play.
• Penalty : A 1-stroke penalty due to hazard or unplayable lie.
• Lost/OB : Stroke and distance penalty.  

Approach Shots  

Goals:  ELEVEN GIRs and ONE  penalty/2nd              

Penalty/2 nd :  This means either a penalty or a shot hit so poorly that you are left with yet another full approach shot from greater than 50 yards of the hole.

The chart below displays the typical array of Approach Shot opportunities from the fairway (75 percent fall in the 100 to 200-yard range). The 150 to 175-yard range tends to be the most frequent distance for golfers playing the appropriate distance golf course for their game.

Short Game  (defined as shots from within 50 yards of the hole)

Chip/Pitch: If you miss 7 greens, you will have 6 green-side save opportunities. Your goals should be:

• Percentage of shots to within 5 feet: 40 percent
• Percentage of Saves: 47 percent (3)
• Percentage of Errors (shots that miss the green) :   6 percent, or approximately 1 in 17 attempts.

Sand: You should have 1 of these green-side save opportunities. Your goals:  

• Percentage of shots to within 8 feet: 35 percent
• Percentage Saves: 32 percent
• Percentage of Errors (shots that miss the green) : 13 percent, or approximately 1 in 8 attempts.

Putting: You need just over 31 putts.  Aim for:

The chart below displays the percentage of 1-Putts you will need to make by distance, as well as the typical array of first-putt opportunities by distance. Note that 62 percent of your first-putt opportunities will fall in the 4 to 20-foot range. Adjust your practice efforts accordingly!

Good luck, and please let me know if and when you are successful.

For a complete Strokes Gained Analysis of your game, log on to ShotByShot.com  and sign up for a 1-round free trial.

Do you know how to drop in 2019? Are you sure?

Here’s who should be the four U.S. Ryder Cup captain’s picks based on analytics

In 1989, Peter Sanders founded Golf Research Associates, LP, creating what is now referred to as Strokes Gained Analysis. His goal was to design and market a new standard of statistically based performance analysis programs using proprietary computer models. A departure from “traditional stats,” the program provided analysis with answers, supported by comparative data. In 2006, the company’s website, ShotByShot.com, was launched. It provides interactive, Strokes Gained analysis for individual golfers and more than 150 instructors and coaches that use the program to build and monitor their player groups. Peter has written, or contributed to, more than 60 articles in major golf publications including Golf Digest, Golf Magazine and Golf for Women. From 2007 through 2013, Peter was an exclusive contributor and Professional Advisor to Golf Digest and GolfDigest.com. Peter also works with PGA Tour players and their coaches to interpret the often confusing ShotLink data. Zach Johnson has been a client for nearly five years. More recently, Peter has teamed up with Smylie Kaufman’s swing coach, Tony Ruggiero, to help guide Smylie’s fast-rising career.

Bob Castelline

Aug 22, 2018 at 12:43 pm

I don’t know how accurate this is (it seems fine) but it’s a good way to analyze one’s game. My own home-spun, much less detailed method has been to shoot for 12 GIR and 3 up-and-down saves, with no double bogeys. That produces 3-over with no birdies. But it appears I’m too ambitious (and probably why I never achieve both goals, even when I shoot better than 3-over).

Aug 21, 2018 at 2:22 am

This is interesting. At the very least to get more systematic about my game. I’m an 8 HCP and tend to think I manage my round well but definitely am not tracking stats. I’ve tried but usually lose interest in doing that about 5 holes in, with or without an app.

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Vincenzi’s 2024 rbc heritage betting preview: patrick cantlay ready to get back inside winner’s circle.

Just a two-hour drive from Augusta National, the PGA TOUR heads to Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head Island, S.C. Hilton Head Island is a golfer’s paradise and Harbour Town is one of the most beautiful and scenic courses on the PGA TOUR.

Harbour Town Golf Links is a par-71 that measures 7,121 yards and features Bermuda grass greens. A Pete Dye design, the course is heavily tree lined and features small greens and many dog legs, protecting it from “bomb-and-gauge” type golfers.

The field is loaded this week with 69 golfers with no cut. Last year was quite possibly the best field in RBC Heritage history and the event this week is yet another designated event, meaning there is a $20 million prize pool.

Most of the big names on the PGA Tour will be in attendance this week with the exceptions of Hideki Matsuyama and Viktor Hovland. Additionally, Webb Simpson, Shane Lowry, Gary Woodland and Kevin Kisner have been granted sponsors exemptions. 

Past Winners at Harbour Town

• 2023: Matt Fitzpatrick (-17)
• 2022: Jordan Spieth (-13)
• 2021: Stewart Cink (-19)
• 2020: Webb Simpson (-22)
• 2019: CT Pan (-12)
• 2018: Sotoshi Kodaira (-12)
• 2017: Wesley Bryan (-13)
• 2016: Branden Grace (-9)
• 2015: Jim Furyk (-18)

In this article and going forward, I’ll be using the Rabbit Hole by Betsperts Golf data engine to develop my custom model. If you want to build your own model or check out all of the detailed stats, you can sign up using promo code: MATTVIN for 25% off any subscription package (yearly is best value).

Key Stats For Harbour Town

Let’s take a look at key metrics for Harbour Town Golf Links to determine which golfers boast top marks in each category over their past 24 rounds.

Strokes Gained: Approach

Strokes Gained: Approach is exceedingly important this week. The greens at Harbour Town are about half the size of PGA TOUR average and feature the second-smallest greens on the tour. Typical of a Pete Dye design, golfers will pay the price for missed greens.

Total SG: Approach Over Past 24 Rounds

• Scottie Scheffler  (+1.27)
• Tom Hoge  (+1.27)
• Corey Conners  (+1.16)
• Austin Eckroat  (+0.95)
• Cameron Young  (+0.93)

Good Drive %

The fairways at Harbour Town are tree lined and feature many dog legs. Bombers tend to struggle at the course because it forces layups and doesn’t allow long drivers to overpower it. Accuracy is far more important than power.

Good Drive % Over Past 24 Rounds

• Brice Garnett  (88.8%)
• Shane Lowry  (+87.2%)
• Akshay Bhatia  (+86.0%)
• Si Woo Kim  (+85.8%)
• Sepp Straka  (+85.1%)

Strokes Gained: Total at Pete Dye Designs

Pete Dye specialists tend to play very well at Harbour Town. Si Woo Kim, Matt Kuchar, Jim Furyk and Webb Simpson are all Pete Dye specialists who have had great success here. It is likely we see some more specialists near the top of the leaderboard this week.

SG: TOT Pete Dye per round over past 36 rounds:

• Xander Schauffele  (+2.27)
• Scottie Scheffler  (+2.24)
• Ludvig Aberg  (+2.11)
• Brian Harman  (+1.89)
• Sungjae Im  (+1.58)

4. Strokes Gained: Short Game (Bermuda)

Strokes Gained: Short Game factors in both around the green and putting. With many green-side bunkers and tricky green complexes, both statistics will be important. Past winners — such as Jim Furyk, Wes Bryan and Webb Simpson — highlight how crucial the short game skill set is around Harbour Town.

SG: SG Over Past 24 Rounds

• Jordan Spieth  (+1.11)
• Taylor Moore  (+1.02)
• Wyndham Clark  (+0.98)
• Mackenzie Hughes  (+0.86)
• Andrew Putnam  (+0.83)

5. Greens in Regulation %

The recipe for success at Harbour Town Golf Links is hitting fairways and greens. Missing either will prove to be consequential — golfers must be in total control of the ball to win.

Greens in Regulation % over past 24 rounds:

• Brice Garnett  (+75.0%)
• Scottie Scheffler  (+69.9%)
• Corey Conners  (+69.0%)
• Shane Lowry  (+68.3%)
• Patrick Rodgers  (+67.6%)

6. Course History

Harbour Town is a course where players who have strong past results at the course always tend to pop up. 

Course History over past 24 rounds:

• Patrick Cantlay  (+2.34)
• Cam Davis  (+2.05)
• J.T. Poston  (+1.69)
• Justin Rose  (+1.68)
• Tommy Fleetwood  (+1.59)

The RBC Heritage Model Rankings

Below, I’ve compiled overall model rankings using a combination of the five key statistical categories previously discussed — SG: Approach (24%), Good Drives (20%), SG: SG (14%), SG: Pete Dye (14%), GIR (14%), and Course History (14%)

• Shane Lowry
• Russell Henley
• Scottie Scheffler
• Xander Schauffele
• Corey Conners 
• Wyndham Clark
• Christiaan Bezuidenhout
• Matt Fitzpatrick
• Cameron Young
• Ludvig Aberg  

2024 RBC Heritage Picks

Patrick Cantlay +2000 (FanDuel)

With the exception of Scottie Scheffler, the PGA Tour has yet to have any of their star players show peak form during the 2024 season. Last week, Patrick Cantlay, who I believe is a top-5 players on the PGA Tour, took one step closer to regaining the form that’s helped him win eight events on Tour since 2017.

Cantlay limped into the Masters in poor form, but figured it out at Augusta National, finishing in a tie for 20th and ranking 17th for the week in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking. The former FedEx Cup champion will now head to one of his favorite golf courses in Harbour Town, where he’s had immaculate results over the years. In his six trips to the course, he’s only finished worse than 7th one time. The other finishes include three third places (2017, 2019, 2023) and one runner-up finish (2022). In his past 36 rounds at Harbour Town, Cantlay ranks 1st in Strokes Gained: Total per round at the course by a wide margin (+2.36).

Cantlay is winless since the 2022 BMW Championship, which is far too long for a player of his caliber. With signs pointing to the 32-year-old returning to form, a “signature event” at Harbour Town is just what he needs to get back on the winning track.

Tommy Fleetwood +3000 ( FanDuel )

I truly believe Tommy Fleetwood will figure out a way to win on American soil in 2024. It’s certainly been a bugaboo for him throughout his career, but he is simply too talented to go another season without winning a PGA Tour event.

At last week’s Masters Tournament, Fleetwood made a Sunday charge and ended up finishing T3 in the event, which was his best ever finish at The Masters. For the week, the Englishman ranked 8th in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach, 10th in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking and 16th in Strokes Gained: Putting.

Harbour Town is a perfect layout for Fleetwood, and he’s had relative success at this Pete Dye design in the past.  In his four trips to the course, he’s finished inside of the top 25 three times, with his best finish, T10, coming in 2022. The course is pretty short and can’t be overpowered, which gives an advantage to more accurate players such as Fleetwood. Tommy ranks 8th in the field in Good Drive % and should be able to plot his way along this golf course.

The win is coming for Tommy lad. I believe there’s a chance this treasure of a golf course may be the perfect one for him to finally break through on Tour.

Cameron Young +3300 ( FanDuel )

Cameron Young had a solid Masters Tournament last week, which is exactly what I’m looking for in players who I anticipate playing well this week at the RBC Heritage. He finished in a tie for 9th, but never felt the pressure of contending in the event. For the week, Young ranked 6th in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee and 6th in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking.

Despite being one of the longest players off the tee on the PGA Tour, Young has actually played some really good golf on shorter tracks. He finished T3 at Harbour Town in 2023 and ranks 20th in the field in Good Drive% and 16th in Greens in Regulation in his past 24 rounds. He also has strong finishes at other shorter courses that can take driver out of a players hand such as Copperhead and PGA National.

Young is simply one of the best players on the PGA Tour in 2024, and I strongly believe has what it takes to win a PGA Tour event in the very near future.

Corey Conners +5500 ( FanDuel )

Corey Conners has had a disappointing year thus far on the PGA Tour, but absolutely loves Harbour Town.

At last week’s Masters Tournament, the Canadian finished T30 but ranked 20th in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach. In his past 24 rounds, Conners ranks 3rd in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach, 3rd in Greens in Regulation % and 24th in Good Drive %.

In Conners’ last four trips to Harbour Town, his worst finish was T31, last season. He finished T4 in 2021, T12 in 2022 and ranks 8th in Strokes Gained: Total at the course over his past 36 rounds.

Conners hasn’t been contending, but his recent finishes have been encouraging as he has finished in the top-25 in each of his past three starts prior to The Masters, including an impressive T13 at The PLAYERS. His recent improvement in ball striking as well as his suitability for Harbour Town makes Conners a high upside bet this week.

Shane Lowry (+7500) ( FanDuel )

When these odds were posted after Lowry was announced in the field, I have to admit I was pretty stunned. Despite not offering much win equity on the PGA Tour over the last handful of years, Shane Lowry is still a top caliber player who has the ability to rise to the top of a signature event.

Lowry struggled to score at The Masters last week, but he actually hit the ball really well. The Irishman ranked 1st for Strokes Gained: Approach on the week and 7th in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking. As usual, it was the putter that let him down, as he ranked 60th in the field in Strokes Gained: Putting.

Harbour Town is most definitely one of Lowry’s favorite courses on the PGA Tour. In his six starts there, he’s finished in the top 10 three times, including third twice. Lowry is sensational at Pete Dye designs and ranks 7th in Strokes Gained: Total in his past 36 rounds on Dye tracks. 

Lowry is perfect for Harbour Town. In his past 24 rounds, he ranks 5th in Strokes Gained: Approach, 2nd in Good Drive% and 5th in Green in Regulation %. If he figures it out on the greens, Shane could have his first win in America since 2015.

Lucas Glover +12000 ( FanDuel )

This is one of my weekly “bet the number” plays as I strongly believe the odds are just too long for a player of Glover’s caliber. The odds have been too long on Glover for a few weeks now, but this is the first event that I can get behind the veteran being able to actually contend at. 

Glover is quietly playing good golf and returning to the form he had after the understandable regression after his two massive victories at the end of 2023. He finished T20 at The Masters, which was his best ever finish at Augusta National. For the week, Lucas ranked 18th for Strokes Gained: Approach and 20th in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking.

Over his past 24 rounds, Glover ranks 9th in Strokes Gained: Approach and 13th in Good Drive %. Harbour Town is a short course that the 44-year-old will be able to keep up with the top players on Tour off the tee. He’s played the course more than 20 times, with mixed results. His best finishes at Harbour Town include a T7 in 2008, but recently has a finish of T21 in 2020.

Glover has proven he can contend with the stars of the Tour on any given week, and this number is flat out disrespectful.

Vincenzi: The 6 biggest takeaways from the 2024 Masters

The 2024 Masters offered up plenty of excitement throughout the week with Scottie Scheffler delivering when it mattered to live up to his pre-tournament favorite tag. With the year’s opening major now in the books, here are my six biggest takeaways from the 2024 Masters.

Scheffler In a League of His Own

In the most impressive way possible, Scottie Scheffler won the Masters without having his absolute best stuff. For the week, Scottie ranked 19th in Strokes Gained: Approach, which is a category the number player in the world typically dusts the rest of the field in. After a strong approach day on Thursday, the 27-year-old lost strokes to the field on approach on Friday and Saturday, before gaining on Sunday. The iron performance was more than solid, but it was an all-around game that helped Scheffler get it done around Augusta National.

For a year or more, the narrative around Scheffler has been, “With his ball striking, if he can just putt to field average, he’ll be unbeatable.” At Augusta, his ball striking came back down to earth, but his touch around the greens and ability to manage the golf course demonstrated why he is the best player on the planet right now. For the week, Scheffler ranked 1st in the field in Strokes Gained: Around the Green and 24th in Strokes Gained: Putting.

For the time being, there is a major gap between Scottie Scheffler and the second-best player in the world, whoever that may be.

The Future is Now

Ludvig Aberg went into his first back-nine at the Masters with a legitimate shot to win the tournament. When he teed it up on the treacherous 11th hole, he was one behind Scottie Scheffler, who had just stuck one to a few feet on the 9th. By the time he approached his tee shot, which was perfectly striped down the left side of the fairway, he was two behind. Unfortunately, the 24-year-old got too aggressive with his approach at the 11th and found the water, making double bogey. Ludvig rebounded nicely and finished the event in solo second place.

With the Masters now in the rearview, it’s never been more evident that Ludvig Aberg is no longer an “up-and-comer” — he has arrived. The Swede has been an integral part of a winning European Ryder Cup team and has now contended at Augusta National. With a calm demeanor, a picture-perfect swing, and a build and stature that appears as if it was built in a lab, Ludvig Aberg is already amongst the world’s best. I’d be extremely surprised if he wasn’t in the mix at next month’s PGA Championship at Valhalla.

Nostalgia Wins

I try to avoid as many cliches as possible, but there’s something about the Masters that brings out the sentimentality in me. Tiger Woods strategically making his way around Augusta National without all of the physical tools that made him arguably the most dominant athlete in the history of sports will always be riveting, regardless of what score he shoots. Woods made it interesting until a tough stretch of holes on Saturday, but he ultimately wore down, shooting 16 over for the week in difficult conditions. It’s remarkable that the 15-time major champion was able to put together a few solid rounds of golf despite barely playing any competitive golf in 2024. As long as Woods tees it up at Augusta, we will all continue to be mesmerized by it.

Verne Lundquist’s 40th and final Masters Tournament was also a must-watch aspect of the event. The iconic voice of Lundquist and his calls throughout the years still give me chills each time I hear them. Verne is an icon of the game and will be missed in future renditions of the Masters.

The Masters also brings another element that is unique to the tournament. Former champions turn back the clock to battle with the golf course again which creates some amazing stories. There are a few that stick out this year and were an absolute pleasure to witness. 61-year-old Vijay Singh made the cut for the first time since 2018 and shot a pretty incredible even-par, 72 on Sunday. 58-year-old José María Olazábal made the cut as well, reminding us why fellow Spaniard Jon Rahm sought his valuable advice prior to his Masters victory in 2022.

Regardless of who wins, the Masters always delivers.

Bryson Moves the Needle

Plenty will disagree with me on this point, but outside of Tiger Woods, and potentially Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth, no one moves the needle in golf as much as Bryson DeChambeau. The uniqueness in which Bryson approaches the game has always been fascinating, and if he gets near the top of the leaderboard at any major championship, whether it’s to root for him or against him, people are interested.

It began on Monday with a pretty bizarre story of DeChambeau using 3D-printed irons that got just got cleared for use by the USGA when the week began. It once again felt like a storyline that would only be possible with a character as eccentric as Bryson. He then raced off to a first-round lead in tough conditions, reminding the world of what made him such a great golfer to begin with. He made some mistakes on the weekend, but still finished a career best T6 at The Masters.

Bryson is more than just quirky; he is a former U.S. Amateur Champion and U.S. Open who I believe will contend for more majors in the future. I will continue to root for DeChambeau, but I’m perfectly content with the fact that plenty will root against him, and I encourage those people to do so. That’s what makes it fun.

LIV Walks Away Empty-Handed

Last year, there were a multitude of questions about LIV players coming into the year’s first major. They had played very limited tournament golf, and critics of LIV questioned whether the 54-hole events were enough to sharpen the players enough to compete against the best in the world on the biggest stage.

The results were fascinating, with LIV players all over the leaderboard. Brooks Koepka held the 36- and 54-hole lead, with Phil Mickelson and Patrick Reed finishing T2 and T4, giving LIV three golfers in the top-4 of the leaderboard.

This season, with even more time removed and with some more massive additions to the roster, the intrigue surrounding LIV players at Augusta was once again palpable. While some players, including Bryson DeChambeau, exceeded expectations, I can’t help but walk away from the Masters feeling underwhelmed by the performance of the LIV players.

Brooks Koepka finished runner-up last season and is a certified major championship killer. The 5-time major champ was never involved and simply didn’t have it at Augusta. Dustin Johnson put together a putrid performance, shooting 13 over for his two rounds, making it fair to wonder if his days of contending at major championships are over as he rapidly approaches his 40th birthday.

Jon Rahm and Joaquin Niemann were both players who were amongst the favorites this week, but Rahm was faced with the daunting duties of defending champion and Niemann proved he was still not quite ready to master the quirks of Augusta National, bleeding strokes both around and on the greens.

To be fair, when all was said and done, LIV had four players in the top twelve at The Masters. Tyrrell Hatton stormed the leaderboard early on Sunday, finishing T9 and earning himself an invite back to Augusta next season. Cam Smith and Patrick Reed put together gritty performances, which isn’t too surprising considering the fact that they both absolutely love Augusta National, but neither ever felt a real threat to win. There’s no doubt the players on LIV are good, and that’s why some encouraging leaderboard positions aren’t enough. They needed to contend.

With no players part of the storyline on Sunday, I view the first major of the year as a disappointment for LIV. The players will head into next month’s PGA Championship at Valhalla with a lot to prove.

Rory’s Struggles Continues

Rory struggling at Augusta National is no surprise at this point. The four-time major champion has now had 10 attempts to complete the career grand slam and has never had a chance to win. His T2 in 2022 was deceiving, the Northern Irishman stormed the leaderboard on Sunday, but was never in contention, and never got within three shots of the winner, Scottie Scheffler.

I didn’t expect Rory to win, but I have to admit that this year felt a bit different. McIlroy played the week prior to the Masters, which he typically doesn’t do, and finished third at the Valero Texas Open. He gained 7.56 strokes on approach and 2.0 strokes off the tee, which told me that his visit with world-renowned swing coach, Butch Harmon, after the Players Championship paid dividends.

McIlroy also approached the media quite differently. He cut his pre-tournament press conference short after only 10 minutes and seemed to be laser-focused on just playing golf.

Despite the different approach to the Masters, the results were the same. McIlroy struggled over the course of the week, finishing T22 (+4) and never sniffed a decent weekend position on the leaderboard. It’s back to the drawing board for McIlroy, and I have doubts that he will ever figure it out at Augusta.

Vincenzi: The 8 best prop bets for the 2024 Masters

We’ve finally reached The Masters and excitement is at an all-time high. The world of golf has been fractured for the better part of two years, but for a week at Augusta National, all of the outside noise will disappear. All of the best players in the world will be together seeking to make history.

• RELATED:   Vincenzi’s 2024 Masters betting preview: Niemann to play star role at Augusta National

In addition to betting on The Masters champion. This is one of the few weeks of the year where there are so many more markets to explore, with value to be had in plenty of different categories.

Throughout this article, I’ll discuss all of my favorite props and players for the 2024 Masters.

Placement Bets:

Tony finau top 5 +750 (draftkings):.

I badly wanted to include Tony Finau in my outright betting selections, but I simply ran out of room on my card. Additionally, it’s slightly difficult to see him hitting the putts necessary to win the Masters on back nine on Sunday. However, I do strongly believe he will play great golf this week at Augusta National.

In his past 24 rounds, Finau ranks 4th in Strokes Gained: Approach is always amongst the best drivers of the golf ball in the game. Back in 2019, Finau had a great chance to win The Masters. I expect him to be hanging around over the weekend once again in 2024.

Gary Woodland Top 20 +550 (DraftKings), Gary Woodland to make the cut -110 (DraftKings):

Last season, Gary Woodland had his best ever finish at The Masters in his eleven tries. The 39-year-old finished T14 and played incredibly steady across all four rounds.

In Woodland’s most recent start at the Texas Children’s Houston Open, he struck the ball incredibly well. He led the field in Strokes Gained: Approach (+8.8) and Strokes Gained: Ball Striking (+10.0).

Gary has been working with Butch Harmon and absolutely flushing the ball both in tournaments and during practice.

Woodland appears to be healthy once again and in a great place physically and mentally. If he can build off his impressive performance at Augusta last year, he can place inside the top ten in 2024.

Additionally, the make the cut number on Woodland seems generous considering the number of players who miss the cut will be relatively small this week. Woodland is striking it well enough to make the cut even if he’s hindered by a balky putter once again.

Thorbjorn Olesen Top 20 +400 (FanDuel):

The Thunder Bear, Thorbjorn Olesen, made his Masters debut in 2013 and finished an incredibly impressive T6 for the week. In the two additional starts he’s made at Augusta National since then, the Dane has continued to be incredibly solid, finishing T44 and T21.

This week, Olesen heads into the week playing some good golf. He gained 3.8 strokes on approach and 5.52 strokes around the green at last week’s Valero Texas Open on his way to a strong T14 finish. Back in January, he won the Ras Al Khaimah Championship on the DP World Tour.

Olesen has the skill set to be successful at Augusta and seems primed for a good performance this week.

Top Nationalities:

Sergio garcia top spanish player +280 (draftkings):.

I believe Sergio Garcia can get into contention this week with the way he’s striking the ball in addition to his good vibes with a refurbished version of the Scotty Cameron that he used at the 1999 PGA Championship at Medinah.

I am slightly concerned about the emotional letdown he may face after losing in a playoff at LIV Miami, but I believe a veteran and former Masters champion should be able to regroup and focus on an event far more meaningful.

This is essentially a tournament head-to-head with Jon Rahm at +280. While Rahm deserves to be respected this week, the history of the lack of success of defending champions at The Masters is difficult to ignore.

Joaquin Niemann Top South American Player -230 (FanDuel):

While I hate paying this much juice, I don’t see a world in which Joaquin Niemann isn’t the top South American this week at The Masters. Joaco comes in playing better golf than anyone in the world not named Scottie Scheffler and has a serious chance to win the green jacket.

He only needs to beat two players: Emiliano Grillo and Camilo Villegas.

Tournament Head-to-Heads:

Justin thomas -110 over collin morikawa.

JT isn’t having his best season but is playing a lot better than he is getting credit for at the moment. In the past three months, there are only six players on the PGA Tour who have averaged 1.7 Strokes Gained: Tee to Green or better. Justin Thomas (+1.7) is one of the six and is currently tied with Rory McIlroy (+1.7).

Morikawa, on the other hand, has been extremely poor with his irons, which is incredibly uncharacteristic for him. I can’t help but feel like something is completely off with the two-time major champion.

Tony Finau -110 over Wyndham Clark

I explained in the placement section why I’m so high on Tony Finau this week. With how well he’s striking the ball, it seems as if his floor is extremely high. I’m not sure if he can make the putts to win a green jacket but I believe he will be in the mix similarly to 2019 when Tiger Woods emerged from a crowded pack of contenders.

Clark is a debutant, and while some debutants have had success at The Masters, it certainly poses a challenge. I also don’t believe Augusta National suits Clark as well as some of the other major championship venues.

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How players can qualify for the pga championship.

A view of the Wanamaker Trophy at Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester, New York.

PGA Championship Eligibility Requirements

• All former winners of the PGA Championship
• Winners of the last five Masters (2019-'23)
• Winners of the last five U.S. Opens (2018-'22)
• Winners of the last five Open Championships (2017-'22) [Note: Canceled in 2020]
• Winners of the last three THE PLAYERS Championships (2021-'23)
• The top three on the OWGR’s International Federation Ranking List as of April 24, 2023
• Winner of 2022 KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship
• The top 15 finishers and ties from the 2022 PGA Championship
• The top 20 finishers from the 2023 PGA Professional Championship
• The top 70 players who are eligible and have earned the most PGA Championship points from the 2022 AT&T Byron Nelson through the 2023 Wells Fargo Championship (ending May 7, 2023)
• Playing members of the last named U.S. and European Ryder Cup teams (2021), provided they remain in the top 100 on the Official World Golf Rankings as of May 7, 2023
• Winners of PGA TOUR co-sponsored or approved tournaments whose victories are considered official, from the 2022 Charles Schwab Challenge through the 2023 AT&T Byron Nelson
• If necessary to complete the field, those players beyond the top 70 players who are eligible and who have earned the most PGA Championship points from the 2022 AT&T Byron Nelson through the 2023 Wells Fargo Championship (ending May 7, 2023) in order of their position on such a list

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Meet the leading expert on PGA TOUR Monday qualifiers and learn why the life of a tour pro is tougher than it looks

At almost every PGA Tour event, there are four spots reserved for Monday qualifiers. To be eligible for one of these spots, you have to advance through a pre-qualifier tournament with a field of roughly 150 players. Those who advance then play in the Monday qualifier, where 50 to 125 players compete for those four spots.

Those who don’t advance, well … good luck next time.

This is the world of Monday qualifying. You may picture the life of a professional golfer as rosy, but for the vast majority of players, it’s fast food, dingy hotels and wearing the same outfit over and over. If you want to know more about it, you’re in luck: One man climbs down into the proverbial trenches to shine a light on the grizzly underbelly of life as a pro golfer. His name is Ryan French, but you’d probably know him better for his Twitter handle, @acaseofthegolf1 .

In June 2018, French caddied for a friend at a Monday qualifier in his home city of Chicago and was intrigued by the lifestyle of these golfers. Their love for the game was apparent despite the pressure to succeed. After their round, he turned to his buddy with an idea.

“I knew I couldn’t be the only person who found Monday qualifying and mini-tours fascinating,” Ryan explains, “so I just went ahead and made a Twitter handle. My original intent was to have a place where everyone could find all the Monday qualifying scoring links, but I really had no plan and just went with it.”

It’s one of the most interesting stories in golf media. In the two years since French started the handle, he’s been tapped as the go-to, trusted source on Monday qualifying—a role that he grew into almost as quickly as his follower-count rose. The 40,000-plus followers keep the 43-year-old humble.

“There wasn’t really a ‘big break’ for me,” he admits. “But getting featured by Golf Channel was momentous. The PGA Tour started following me when I reached 10,000 followers, which kind of hit me like, Wow, people in the industry are really starting to take notice . I knew golf fans would be interested, but this was next level.”

French sensed an opportunity. He wasn’t just copying and pasting links to Monday qualifying leaderboards into tweets. He was actually bringing stories about the triumphs and travails of competitors.

“Monday qualifiers are such a diverse group. It’s mainly made up of recent college graduates who had some sort of college success, but there are also those who had a taste of glory on the PGA Tour or Korn Ferry Tour. You’ll see guys like Justin Suh and Norman Xiong, who were both top-ranked amateurs, playing with a couple of guys from a local club. They’re all grinding on Mondays trying to live out their dream. I love that. What other sport can you go from folding sweaters in a pro shop to playing for a million dollars—all based on how you play over 18 holes?

“When I reach out to caddies and those who I have become friendly with each week attempting to Monday qualify, I feel like we already have this strange connection, like we’ve all been through, or are going through, some type of hardship in our lives. These tournaments aren’t for the faint of heart. Players have to sacrifice a lot to try and earn a buck out here. I think of Jay McLuen, who is 40 years old and consistently tries to Monday qualify . He’s made 12 PGA Tour starts in his life. In 2017, his heart literally gave out. He went into cardiac arrest twice and was revived both times, but he keeps fighting to achieve his dream of winning on the biggest stage in golf.”

French tries to emulate the effort he sees during these qualifiers by pursuing the underreported stories of professional golf. In his words, he’s so happy to be able to tell some of the greatest stories in golf.

“The fact is,” French says, “there is such a large portion of professional golfers who are not making a living playing in Monday Qualifiers even though it is their living. McLuen, for example, has made around $97,000 on the PGA Tour since he turned pro in 2000. Pro golf is thought of as elitist, but I like to show people that in a lot of cases, it’s anything but that. It’s not an easy life. Earlier this year, Brooks Koepka said that if he had to Monday qualify, there’s no chance he would make it into four tournaments a year. Think about that. Monday qualifying is so much about catching lightning in a bottle: You have one shot to show you’re worthy of a spot. And if you start following them, you’ll watch them play like their livelihoods depend on it—because they do.”

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How do you qualify for the Masters field? Here’s a list of the criteria

Scottie Sceffler hits a drive on the 18th hole at Augusta National.

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There’s no tournament more anticipated than the Masters , and even for seasoned pros, scoring an invitation is reason for celebration.

But how does a player qualify for the Masters?

Though it’s a major championship, the Masters is also an invitational, so the tournament field is assembled at the discretion of the Masters Committee. That said, the Committee has established criteria for players to earn an invitation to compete at Augusta National .

How to qualify for the Masters

Winning the Masters earns the champion a lifetime exemption into the field — the most generous exemption in the world of golf. Many former champions continue to play the Masters even though they are long past their prime. Earlier this year, 64-year-old Larry Mize announced that the 2023 Masters will be his last. This year will mark 40 consecutive Masters for Mize, who won his green jacket in 1987.

Win one of the other three majors

Players who win one of the other three majors (PGA Championship, U.S. Open and Open Championship) are awarded a five-year exemption into the Masters field.

Win the Players Championship

Winners of the Players Championship can enjoy a three-year exemption into the Masters.

Win Olympic gold

The Olympic gold medalist can enjoy a one-year exemption into the Masters field.

The hardest shots the pros will face at the Masters (according to the teachers who coach them)

Win (or finish runner-up) in an elite amateur tournament

Winners of the U.S. Amateur Championship, British Amateur, Asia-Pacific Amateur, Latin American Amateur and U.S. Mid-Amateur are invited to play the Masters. Traditionally, the U.S. Amateur runner-up is also invited.

Play well in the majors

The top-12 finishers (including ties) at each year’s Masters are invited back the following year if they are not otherwise exempt. For the other major championships, it’s the top 4 and ties.

Win a PGA Tour tournament

Winners of PGA Tour events that received full FedEx Cup points are eligible for a spot in the Masters.

Qualify for the Tour Championship

The 30 players who qualify for the PGA Tour’s Tour Championship are exempt into the Masters field the following year.

Be a Top-50 player

The top 50-ranked players in the Official World Golf Ranking as of January 1 every year earn an exemption into the Masters field.

Be a Top-50 player the week before the Masters

Any player who enters the top 50 of the Official World Golf Ranking and who is not otherwise exempt the week before each Masters gets an invitation to join the field.

Catch the Masters Committee’s attention

The Masters Committee also reserves the right to extend an invitation to players that they feel are deserving of a place in the field. This year, Japanese pro Kazuki Higa and reigning NCAA champion Gordon Sargent accepted special invitations .

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How To Qualify For The US Open

There are a variety of ways to qualify for the third Major of the year

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This year, the 123rd US Open will be contested at Los Angeles Country Club , the first time it has ever hosted a Major. The field is now complete following the conclusion of the RBC Canadian Open, but how do players qualify? 

Like the other Majors, there are several ways to qualify, including as former champion over the decade, or a winner of one of the other three showpiece events in recent years. Winners of the PGA Championship over the last three years also receive an invite, as does any player who won a PGA Tour event over the previous 12 months, but those are just some ways to reach the tournament.

There are several ways to qualify for the US Open

While the previous Major, the PGA Championship, generally doesn't include amateurs , the US Open welcomes them. Indeed, each year, any amateur with a handicap index of 1.4 or lower can enter, with thousands putting their skills to the test each year, hoping to get a shot at one of the game's most prestigious events.

Local qualifying for the 2023 US Open took place at over 100 sites around the US and Canada. Those two countries also hosted final qualifying events, while it also returned to England for the first time in three years following a hiatus because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Japan was the other country where final qualifying took place. 

In total, there were 12 venues for final qualifying, which saw several top players reach the Major, and several more miss out .

Following final qualifying, which concluded the week before the tournament, only six places were still up for grabs. That all became clearer after the RBC Canadian Open, because any player in the top 60 of the Official World Golf Ranking from 12 June received an invite. That rubber-stamped appearances for Emiliano Grillo, Pablo Lazzarabal and Adam Schenk.

After that, the USGA turned to its first alternates from final qualifying for the final three places, with amateurs Bastien Amat and Maxwell Moldovan getting the nod, along with PGA Tour pro Michael Kim.

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Below if the full qualification and exemption criteria. 

HOW TO QUALIFY FOR THE US OPEN

• 1) Winners of the US Open Championship the last 10 years (2013-22)
• 2) From the 2022 US Open, the lowest 10 scores and ties
• 3) Winner of the 2022 US Senior Open
• 4) Winner of the 2022 US Amateur Championship
• 5) Winners of the 2022 US Junior Amateur and US Mid-Amateur Championships, and the 2022 US Amateur Runner-Up (must be an amateur)
• 6) Winners of the Masters from 2019-23
• 7) Winners of the PGA Championship from 2018-23
• 8) Winners of the Open Championship from 2018-22
• 9) Winners of the Players Championship in 2021-2023
• 10) Winner of the 2022 BMW PGA Championship
• 11) Those players who qualified and were eligible for the season-ending 2022 Tour Championship
• 12) Winners of multiple full-point PGA Tour events from 2022 US Open to the 2023 US Open
• 13) Winner of the 2023 Amateur Championship (must be an amateur)
• 14) The points leader from the 2022 Korn Ferry Tour season using combined points earned on the Korn Ferry Tour Regular Season Points List and points earned in the Korn Ferry Tour Finals
• 15) The top two players from the final 2022 DP World Tour Rankings who are not otherwise exempt as of May 22, 2023
• 16) The top player on the 2023 Race to Dubai Rankings as of May 22, 2023, who is not otherwise exempt
• 17) The top two finishers from the 2023 DP World Tour U.S. Open Qualifying Series, who are not otherwise exempt
• 18) Winner of the 2022 Amateur Championship, conducted by The R&A (must be an amateur)
• 19) Winner of the 2022 Mark H. McCormack medal for being the No,1 player in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (must be an amateur)
• 20) Winner of the 2023 NCAA Division I Men’s Golf Championship (must be an amateur)
• 21) Winner of the 2023 Latin America Amateur Championship (must be an amateur)
• 22) From the current Official World Golf Ranking, the top 60 point leaders and ties as of May 22, 2023
• 23) From the current Official World Golf Ranking, the top 60 point leaders and ties as of June 12, 2023 (if not previously exempt)
• 24) Special exemptions selected by the USGA

Mike has over 25 years of experience in journalism, including writing on a range of sports throughout that time, such as golf, football and cricket. Now a freelance staff writer for Golf Monthly, he is dedicated to covering the game's most newsworthy stories. 

He has written hundreds of articles on the game, from features offering insights into how members of the public can play some of the world's most revered courses, to breaking news stories affecting everything from the PGA Tour and LIV Golf to developmental Tours and the amateur game. 

Mike grew up in East Yorkshire and began his career in journalism in 1997. He then moved to London in 2003 as his career flourished, and nowadays resides in New Brunswick, Canada, where he and his wife raise their young family less than a mile from his local course. 

Kevin Cook’s acclaimed 2007 biography, Tommy’s Honour, about golf’s founding father and son, remains one of his all-time favourite sports books.

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How to Qualify for the Senior PGA Tour

The Senior PGA Tour is now called the Champions Tour.

Many of the greatest players of all time, including Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson, have played this tour for golfers 50 and older. To play in such company, you have to survive a tough qualifying process.

Champions Tour Qualifying

Go to the Champions Tour website to download the qualifying application (see references). Along with your application, you must provide a copy of your birth certificate, results from two tournaments held within the last year, and two letters of reference from a Class A PGA pro or a Champions Tour member.

Play in the Regional Qualifying Stage. Unless you are an exempt player, you must compete in the 72-hole qualifying tournament. The number of successful qualifiers is announced during the Regional Qualifying Stage.

Successful qualifiers and exempt players then compete in the Final Qualifying Stage.

The field size in the Final Qualifying Stage is 78 players. All 78 players play 72 holes.

Finish in the top 12 players at the Final Qualifying Stage.

The top five players will receive full exemption status, and the next seven will be conditionally exempt. Conditionally exempt players are accepted in tournaments on a space-available basis.

This article was written by the CareerTrend team, copy edited and fact checked through a multi-point auditing system, in efforts to ensure our readers only receive the best information. To submit your questions or ideas, or to simply learn more about CareerTrend, contact us [here](http://careertrend.com/about-us).

Here are the 14 different ways to qualify for a PGA Championship exemption

Getting an invitation to the PGA Championship is quite an accomplishment. It means you've done something special in men's golf, garnering an opportunity to play in the only major championship limited to professional golfers.

While the PGA Championship is a major tournament, the PGA of America determines who gets invited at their sole discretion, there are 14 different ways a golfer can earn an invitation to the PGA Championship.

The best way to earn a PGA Championship invitation is to win the PGA Championship. PGA Championship Tournament winners are effectively invited back for life, and they're celebrated as part of the tournament's history.

The next best way to earn a PGA Championship invitation is to win one of the other three major championships. Winners of a major championship get invited to the other three majors for five years after winning, meaning a guaranteed 20 consecutive major starts after taking a major title. While not on the level of a major, The Players Championship is a huge tournament, and winners of the PGA Tour's crown jewel get a three-year exemption across the majors.

After those three ways, all the other paths to a PGA Championship invitation come with one-time invites that have to be earned back the next year. The qualification criteria range from winning or getting to the final of a prestigious amateur event, to winning on the PGA Tour, to reaching the top 50 in the Official World Golf Ranking by certain cutoff dates.

Then, the PGA Championship Tournament could always simply choose to invite who they would like, which they do from time to time.

If a player satisfies multiple criteria to earn a PGA Championship invitation, they don't get multiple years' worth of invitations, just an invite under the criteria with the greatest weight and longest counting period.

The 14 different ways to qualify for a PGA Championship invitation

• Former winners of The PGA Championship
• Winners of the U.S. Open in the last five years
• Winners of the British Open in the last five years
• Winners of the Masters in the last five years
• Winners of the Players Championship in the last three years
• The top three Official World Golf Ranking players among the International Federation Ranking as of April 24, 2023
• Winner of the last KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship
• The top 15 finishers (including ties) from last year's PGA Championship tournament
• The top 20 finishers in the 2023 PGA Professional Championship
• The top 70 earners from the PGA Championship points list (PGA Tour money list) the 2022 AT&T Byron Nelson through the 2023 Wells Farg Championship
• Playing members of the 2021 Ryder Cup teams
• Full PGA Tour event winners since 2022 PGA Championship
• PGA of America invitees (typically around the top 100 in the Official World Golf Ranking)
• Players beyond 70th in the PGA Championship points list to get to 156 players

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Ryan Ballengee is founder and editor of Golf News Net. He has been writing and broadcasting about golf for nearly 20 years. Ballengee lives in the Washington, D.C. area with his family. He is currently a +2.6 USGA handicap, and he has covered dozens of major championships and professional golf tournaments. He likes writing about golf and making it more accessible by answering the complex questions fans have about the pro game or who want to understand how to play golf better.

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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.

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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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PGA Tour has qualifying event where influencers and YouTubers get chance to earn Myrtle Beach Classic spot

"The Q at Myrtle Beach" is a 16-man qualifying event on March 4 where eight golf content creators are among those looking to earn a spot at the PGA Tour's inaugural Myrtle Beach Classic; Watch the PGA Tour throughout the season live on Sky Sports

Monday 4 March 2024 08:44, UK

The worlds of golf and social media regularly mix, but could we see an influencer get the chance to tee it up in a PGA Tour event this season?

The PGA Tour's inaugural Myrtle Beach Classic takes place at the Dunes Golf and Beach Club in South Carolina from May 9-12, live on Sky Sports , with the tournament featuring one-of-a-kind qualifying event to fill one to the spots in the field.

Organisers have launched "The Q at Myrtle Beach", an 18-hole competition on Monday March 4, with the event seeing eight of the sport's most prominent golf content creators and eight professionals compete for one PGA Tour exemption.

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It’s happening…one shot at qualifying for a @PGATOUR event pic.twitter.com/qEk3pPj6UN — Peter Finch (@PeterFinchGolf) February 16, 2024

All professional and amateur competitors meet PGA Tour regulations for sponsor exemptions, which require a USGA handicap of 0.0 or better, with all of them eligible to tee it up on the PGA Tour should they qualify.

The influencer-half of the field includes George Bryan of Bryan Bros Golf, Luke Kwon of Good Good Golf and former Good Good members Micah Morris and Grant Horvat, whose have huge presences on YouTube and TikTok respectively.

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Nick Stubbe, better known as Fat Perez from the YouTube profile Bob Does Sports, appears, as does UK-based golf influencer Peter Finch and journalist Dan Rapaport.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Nick Stubbe (@thefatperez)

A 90-minute video about the event will be released on Play Golf Myrtle Beach's YouTube page on April 23, with creators then posting content on their respective channels documenting their experiences.

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A good move or a marketing gimmick?

The decision to have such a limited qualifying event divided opinion on social media, although bunkered.co.uk editor Michael McEwan told the Sky Sports Golf podcast why he supports the PGA Tour's move.

"It's an absolutely brilliant idea," McEwan said. "They're not taking a spot away from anybody. There's a certain number of places in the field and there's always only a certain number of players who get in through their rankings or whatever.

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"There's usually a couple of spaces put aside for tournament invites. It's the same principle as the Ryder Cup - if you don't get one of the automatic spaces, you can't very well complain when you don't get one of the wildcards.

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"There's a way to get in, and that's by playing consistently good golf. That gets you up the standings and you don't need to worry about invites to anyone else, you will play your way in over a period of time, so this is not taking anyone's spot.

"It shows a bit of savvy from the PGA Tour. They have clocked the fact that YouTube golf has sky-rocketed in terms of interest. There are people who have got YouTube channels, solely about golf, who have bigger followings than nearly every other professional golfer out there.

"The tour needs eyeballs, the tour needs to bring a new audience because it has been threatened in a way that it has never been threatened before, so this to me feels like a stroke of genius.

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"I think it's a great idea. It's no different to Tony Romo getting a spot or Steph Curry getting a spot. All the guys are very capable golfers, so good luck to each and every one of them."

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PGA Tour Players Learn How Much Loyalty Is Worth in New Equity Program

Players who stayed loyal to the PGA Tour in the divide with Saudi-funded LIV Golf are starting to find out how much that loyalty could be worth

David J. Phillip

Tiger Woods waves after his final round at the Masters golf tournament at Augusta National Golf Club Sunday, April 14, 2024, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Players who stayed loyal to the PGA Tour amid lucrative recruitment by Saudi-funded LIV Golf are starting to find out how much that loyalty could be worth.

The PGA Tour on Wednesday began contacting the 193 players eligible for the $930 million from a “Player Equity Program” under the new PGA Tour Enterprises .

The bulk of that money — $750 million — went to 36 players based on their career performance, the last five years and how they fared in a recent program that measured their star power.

How much they received was not immediately known. Emails were going out Wednesday afternoon and Thursday informing players of what they would get. One person who saw a list of how the equity shares were doled out said the names had been redacted. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because many details of the program were not made public.

The Telegraph reported Tiger Woods was to receive $100 million in equity and Rory McIlroy could get $50 million, without saying how it came up with those numbers.

Commissioner Jay Monahan outlined the first-of-its-kind equity ownership program in a Feb. 7 memo to players, a week after Strategic Sports Group became a minority investor in the new commercial PGA Tour Enterprises.

Photos You Should See - April 2024

The private equity group, a consortium of professional sports owners led by the Fenway Sports Group, made an initial investment of $1.5 billion that could be worth $3 billion. The tour is still negotiating with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia — the financial muscle behind the rival LIV Golf league — as an investor.

Any deal with PIF would most certainly increase the value of the equity shares.

Another person with knowledge of the Player Equity Program, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the private nature of the dealings, said the equity money is not part of the SSG investment. That money was geared toward growth capital.

Golf.com received a series of informational videos on the Player Equity Program that was sent to players and reported only 50% of the equity would vest after four years, 25% more after six years and the rest of it after eight years.

It also reported how the 36 players from the top tier were judged on “career points,” such as how long they were full members, victories, how often they reached the Tour Championship and extra points for significant victories.

Jason Gore, the tour's chief player officer, said in one of the videos, “It's really about making sure that our players know the PGA Tour is the best place to compete and showing them how much the Tour appreciates them being loyal.”

Emails also were sent to 64 players who would share $75 million in aggregate equity based on the past three years, and $30 million to 57 players who are PGA Tour members. Also, $75 million in equity shares was set aside for 36 past players instrumental in building the tour.

The program has an additional $600 million in equity grants that are recurring for future PGA Tour players. Those would be awarded in amounts of $100 million annually started in 2025.

Players only get equity shares from one of the four tiers now, although everyone would be eligible for the recurring grants.

Even with equity ownership geared toward making the PGA Tour better, the concern was players questioning who got how much and whether they received their fair share.

LIV Golf lured away seven major champions dating to 2018 since it launched in 2022, all with guaranteed contracts and most of them believed to have topped $100 million.

McIlroy, playing this week in the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, was asked how much would make players feel validated for their decision to stay with the PGA Tour.

“I think the one thing we’ve learned in golf over the last two years is there’s never enough,” McIlroy replied.

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Bryan Bros Golf’s George Bryan IV earns PGA Tour shot at Myrtle Beach Classic

Bryan received a surprise invite after he came up short in the Myrtle Beach Classic qualifier.

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George Bryan IV is part of the Bryan Bros Golf YouTube Golf channel. He and his brother Wesley Bryan create various golf content to entertain fans.

On Tuesday, Play Golf Myrtle Beach published its “Q at Myrtle Beach” qualifier on YouTube.

George was one of the eight YouTubers who participated in the 16-player, 18-hole shootout for one spot in this year's inaugural Myrtle Beach Classic .

He and pro golfer Matt Akins tied at 3-under after 18, but Akins beat him in a playoff.

After the main video, the eight content creators began posting their videos from the qualifier.

Yet on Thursday, Twitter user Patrick Lowry congratulated Bryan for earning a spot at the Myrtle Beach Classic. The tweet included a YouTube link to the Bryan Bros video from the qualifier .

George Bryan earns a spot at the Myrtle Beach Classic. well deserved, couldn't be happier for him. @wesleybryangolf @bryanbrosgolf #golf #pgatour https://t.co/eDDl1qETdu pic.twitter.com/HspcbdGYQl — Patrick Lowry (@thepatricklowry) April 26, 2024

The video showcased his journey through the qualifier. Around the 16:44 mark, Bryan explains he has a phone call with the Myrtle Beach Classic’s tournament director, Darren Nelson.

“Hey, I wanted to see what you’re doing May 6-12. We’d like to offer you a spot in the Myrtle Beach Classic,” Nelson said.

With the biggest grin, Bryan gives the camera a fist pump and looks beyond excited.

“Yes, I’m there,” he said. “Holy cow! Not going to lie when you said it was a call, I had my hopes, but I didn’t want my mind to go there and think that I would actually have a chance to play in a PGA Tour event. Honestly, I don’t even know what to think right now. Like I’m still like — holy cow.”

Nelson acknowledged he came close in the qualifier and how the Myrtle Beach Classic team wanted to offer him the spot.

Bryan gave another fist pump, and the excitement radiated from him.

It will be his first PGA Tour event in his home state of South Carolina. George and Wesley both played in the Butterfield Burmuda Championship last fall. However, it is clear playing in the Palmetto State in front of a home crowd is special.

Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, be sure to follow us @_PlayingThrough on all major social platforms. You can also follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.

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Rory McIlroy set to make a surprise return to PGA Tour board

• Webb Simpson requested world No 2 to take his place
• Four-time major winner resigned from policy board in November

Rory McIlroy’s commitment to a stronger future for elite golf could be confirmed by a dramatic return to board positions on the PGA Tour as early as this week. Sources close to the situation have told the Guardian that roles for McIlroy as a director both on the PGA Tour’s policy board and on PGA Tour Enterprises are subject to a vote on Wednesday, after Webb Simpson tendered resignation along with the explicit request that the Northern Irishman takes his place.

McIlroy reappearing on the frontline will represent a major boost to the PGA Tour and its sponsors as the sport attempts to end the disruption caused by the Saudi Arabian-backed LIV’s arrival on the scene.

McIlroy surprisingly resigned from the PGA Tour’s policy board last November. The assumption then was that the four-time major winner wanted to place more focus on matters inside the ropes . Yet men’s professional golf remains in a state of flux, with traditional tours and LIV operating on different paths. McIlroy has always felt damage being done to golf’s reputation and exposure as a result of the LIV schism is hugely harmful. “The game is way better with all of us together,” McIlroy said in recent days.

The 34-year-old is now of a mind to step back into the scenario in an attempt to make headway. McIlroy stated his desire to play on the PGA Tour for the remainder of his career last week, after spurious rumours suggested he may be subject to a LIV offer. That the world No 2 still wants to be at the forefront of the PGA Tour’s decision making should sit well with the rank and file membership.

Others likely to be impressed by McIlroy’s potential return include the DP World Tour, who would have a boardroom voice at the PGA Tour, and Fenway Sports Group (FSG). FSG, as part of the Strategic Sports Group (SSG), signed a commercial agreement with the PGA Tour earlier this year. Fenway and McIlroy have existing connections via TGL, a stadium golf league due to launch in 2025. McIlroy also enjoys historically good relations with Yasir al-Rumayyan, the governor of Saudi’s Public Investment Fund (PIF). The PIF has a desire to work alongside the PGA Tour and SSG but have been unable to make sufficient headway on that deal; there will be a hope McIlroy can move the process forward.

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Fellow board members who will vote on McIlroy’s return include Tiger Woods, Patrick Cantlay and Jordan Spieth. Cantlay’s thoughts on this matter could be especially interesting. Spieth and McIlroy had words after the Texan suggested an alliance with the PIF “wasn’t needed.” al-Rumayyan subsequently held a meeting with PGA Tour board members and SSG in the Bahamas. McIlroy is in the field for this week’s Zurich Classic in New Orleans.

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Charlie Woods will play U.S. Open local qualifier Thursday

Charlie Woods looks to earn a spot at this year's U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2. (Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images)

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Charlie Woods’ road to Pinehurst begins Thursday.

Woods, the son of 82-time TOUR winner Tiger Woods, will compete in an 18-hole U.S. Open local qualifier Thursday at The Legacy Golf & Tennis Club in Port St. Lucie, Florida. The younger Woods is slated to tee off at 8:18 a.m. ET Thursday.

The road to the U.S. Open features 109 local qualifying sites across April and May, leading to 13 Final Qualifying sites in late May and early June. Final Qualifying is known as Golf's Longest Day, requiring competitors to navigate 36 holes to earn a tee time at the season’s third major championship.

To be eligible for qualifying, a player must have a Handicap Index not exceeding 0.4 or be a professional.

The elder Woods is a three-time U.S. Open champion, but he has yet to win at Pinehurst No. 2. Tiger Woods finished T3 at Pinehurst in 1999, two strokes back of winner Payne Stewart, and he placed solo second at the venerable venue in 2005, two back of Michael Campbell. He didn’t compete at Pinehurst in 2014.

Earlier this spring, Charlie Woods competed in a pre-qualifier for the TOUR’s Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches, his first foray at attempting to qualify for a TOUR-sanctioned event. The younger Woods shot 86 that day but will look to apply learnings in Thursday’s U.S. Open local qualifier.

Tiger and Charlie Woods have paired together in the last four PNC Championships, the two-player team event contested each December that utilizes a scramble format. Team Woods finished runner-up in 2021 but has yet to win the event.

Other notables in the field at Woods' site include Cameron Kuchar (son of Matt), Sunny Kim, Garrett Willis, Reed Greyserman (brother of Max), Austin Lemieux (son of Mario) and Michael Buttacavoli.