
A professional tournament in golf has a limited field size that is filled based on the rankings. However, sponsor exemption is used to set aside a few spots at the discretion of the tournament’s sponsor. In simple words, the sponsors of the tournament can invite any player who isn’t a part of the field to compete in the event.
What is a sponsor exemption in golf?
However, sponsor exemption is used to set aside a few spots at the discretion of the tournament’s sponsor. In simple words, the sponsors of the tournament can invite any player who isn’t a part of the field to compete in the event. Sponsors pay a huge amount of money to get their names in a tournament’s title.
How do exemptions work on the PGA Tour?
At the end of each year, the top 125 money-winners on the PGA Tour receive a tour card for the following season, which gives them exemption from qualifying for most of the next year's tournaments. However at some events, known as invitationals, exemptions apply only to the previous year's top 70 players.
How long is Tiger Woods exempt from PGA Tour?
As it stands now, Tiger is unconditionally exempt thru at least 2014, as a multiple tournament winner-IE, the combination of his five-year exemption for winning the 2008 US Open and tournaments won in 2009.

What does 5 year exemptions mean in golf?
The Arnold Palmer Invitational, Memorial Tournament and World Golf Championships provide a three-year exemption. Winning a major championship or The Players provides a five-year exemption. Winning multiple times in a year adds an extra year for each additional win with a maximum of five years.
What exemptions does PGA winner get?
4. Major exemptions. PGA Champions earn invites to the three other Majors for the next five years, meaning they'll secure spots in the Masters, the US Open and Open Championship. One Major victory gets you a guaranteed 20 Major starts for the next five years.
How many sponsor exemptions are permitted in the PGA?
eightSponsor exemptions (a maximum of eight, which may include amateurs with handicaps of 0 or less), on the following basis: A. Not less than two sponsor invitees shall be PGA TOUR members not otherwise exempt.
Do golfers get to keep the trophy?
The winner also receives a smaller version of the trophy to keep permanently, according to PGA.com, though he also may purchase a full-size replica. The Golf Channel has a nice look at the making of the replica trophy that each year's PGA Championship winner gets to keep.
What does sponsor exemption mean?
An exemption issued not on merit - rather on the whim of a major sponsor of the sport or an event. For instance, if Brand X Automobiles are sponsoring such-and-such a tournament, they may issue a sponsor's exemption to Player A such that Player A automatically qualifies for the event.
How many exemptions does Tiger Woods have?
Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods, pictured in 2018 at The Match, met the deadline for registration for June's U.S. Open. Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson are among the 48 fully exempt players who have registered for the 122nd U.S. Open, to be played June 16-19 at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts.
Do PGA players pay for their own travel?
Even if they happen to live near a tour stop, players are on the road most of the season -- depending on how many tournaments they enter or qualify for -- and must pay all their travel costs.
What is sponsor exemption in golf?
A professional tournament in golf has a limited field size that is filled based on the rankings. However, sponsor exemption is used to set aside a few spots at the discretion of the tournament’s sponsor. In simple words, the sponsors of the tournament can invite any player who isn’t a part of the field to compete in the event.
How do you get an exemption in golf?
Players who do not get qualified for an event still have a chance of making it with the sponsor’s exemption. Though how does a player get sponsor exemption? So on the PGA Tour, a tour member can accept an unlimited number of sponsor exemptions.
How do sponsor exemptions work?
So now that we know how do players get an exemption, let us see how does it work? The sponsor exemptions are mostly, if not always, given by the tournament directors. Moreover, they can award a maximum of eight sponsor exemptions in an event.
Do you have to play a lot of tournaments to play PGA?
No ... they do not have to play any number of tournaments, nor be anywhere on the money list. Basically, they are allowed into any PGA event they wish to play. Note that lifetime membership is a very rare thing (only around 30 guys have won 20 or more on Tour in its entire history. A lot of them are dead).
Can you use a life member exemption on the PGA Tour?
It can not be used in events like any of the Majors, the Players or the World Golf Championships.
