All-Exempt TOUR Priority Rankings

RESHUFFLE: The Nationwide Tour and q-school graduates were reshuffled on March 2, 2009. Click here to see the new order.

Each PGA TOUR player has earned a position on the priority ranking system that will be used to select tournament fields. The complete ranking system, in order of priority, is as follows:

1. Winner of PGA Championship or U.S. Open prior to 1970 or in the last 10 calendar years:
   (Beginning in 1998, this is a five-year exemption.)
   • Jack Burke, Jr.
   • Angel Cabrera
   • Billy Casper
   • Dow Finsterwald
   • Jack Fleck
   • Ray Floyd
   • Doug Ford
   • Al Geiberger
   • Retief Goosen
   • Padraig Harrington
   • Don January
   • Gene Littler
   • Phil Mickelson
   • Bobby Nichols
   • Jack Nicklaus
   • Geoff Ogilvy
   • Arnold Palmer
   • Gary Player
   • Bob Rosburg
   • Vijay Singh
   • Lee Trevino
   • Ken Venturi
   • Tiger Woods
2. Winner of THE PLAYERS Championship in the last 10 calendar years:
   (Beginning in 1998, this is a five-year exemption.)
   • Stephen Ames
   • Fred Funk
   • Sergio Garcia
   • Adam Scott
3. Winners of the Masters Tournament in the last 10 calendar years:
   (Beginning in 1998, this is a five-year exemption.)
   • Trevor Immelman
   • Zach Johnson
4. Winners of the British Open in the last 10 calendar years:
   (Beginning in 1998, this is a five-year exemption.)
   • Todd Hamilton
5. Winners of THE TOUR Championship, beginning in 2005 (a three-year exemption):
   • Camilo Villegas
6. Winners of World Golf Championships events, beginning in 2005 (a three-year exemption):
7. The winner of the FedExCup in each of the last five calendar years.
8. The leader in PGA TOUR official earnings in each of the last five calendar years:
9. Winners of PGA TOUR co-sponsored or approved events (except team events) within the last two calendar years, or during the current year; winners receive an additional year of exemption for each additional win, up to five years:
   • Stuart Appleby
   • Woody Austin
   • Aaron Baddeley
   • Brian Bateman
   • Cameron Beckman
   • Michael Bradley
   • Jonathan Byrd
   • Mark Calcavecchia
   • Chad Campbell
   • Paul Casey
   • K.J. Choi
   • Daniel Chopra
   • Stewart Cink
   • Ben Curtis
   • Ernie Els
   • Steve Flesch
   • Jim Furyk
   • Brian Gay
   • Paul Goydos
   • Charley Hoffman
   • J.B. Holmes
   • Charles Howell III
   • Ryuji Imada
   • Dustin Johnson
   • Richard S. Johnson
   • Jerry Kelly
   • Anthony Kim
   • Greg Kraft
   • Justin Leonard
   • Davis Love II
   • Steve Lowery
   • Will MacKenzie
   • Hunter Mahan
   • Parker McLachlin
   • George McNeill
   • Sean O’Hair
   • Joe Ogilvie
   • Ryan Palmer
   • Kenny Perry
   • Pat Perez
   • Carl Pettersson
   • Chez Reavie
   • Andres Romero
   • Rory Sabbatini
   • Brandt Snedeker
   • Steve Stricker
   • David Toms
   • D.J. Trahan
   • Marc Turnesa
   • Scott Verplank
   • Johnson Wagner
   • Nick Watney
   • Boo Weekley
   • Mike Weir
   • Mark Wilson
   • Y.E. Yang
10. Leaders in official PGA TOUR career earnings, as follows:
    1. Players among the top 50 in career earnings as of the end of the preceding calendar year may elect to use a one-time, one-year exemption for the next year:
       • Jeff Sluman
       • Jeff Maggert
       • Bob Estes
       • David Duval
       • Loren Roberts
    2. Players among the Top 25 in career earnings as of the end of the preceding calendar year may elect to use this special exemption for a second year, provided that the player remains among the Top 25 on the career money list.
       • Chris DiMarco
       • Brad Faxon
       • Tom Lehman
11. Sponsor exemptions (a maximum of eight, which may include amateurs with handicaps of 0 or less), on the following basis:
    1. Not less than two sponsor invitees shall be PGA TOUR members not otherwise exempt.
    2. Not less than two of the top 25 finishers and ties from the last Qualifying Tournament, as well as 2-25 from the 2008 Nationwide Tour money list, if not all of them can otherwise be accommodated. (Note: PGA TOUR members may receive an unlimited number of sponsor invitations. Non-TOUR members may receive a maximum of seven per year.)
12. Two international players designated by the Commissioner.
13. The current PGA Club Professional Champion for a maximum of 6 open events (3 must be opposite British Open and World Golf Championships events), in addition to any sponsor selections.
    • Scott Hebert
14. PGA Section Champion or Player of the Year of the Section in which the tournament is played.
15. Four low scorers at Open Qualifying which shall normally be held on Monday of tournament week.
16. Past champions of the particular event being contested that week, if cosponsored by the PGA TOUR and the same tournament sponsor (except for Team events), as follows:
    1. Winners prior to July 28, 1970: unlimited exemptions for such events.
    2. Winners after July 28, 1970 and prior to Jan. 1, 2000: 10 years of exemptions for such events.
    3. Winners after Jan. 1, 2000: five years of exemptions for such events.
17. Life Members (who have been active members of the PGA TOUR for 15 years and have won at least 20 co-sponsored events).
    • Greg Norman
    • Tom Watson
18. Top 30 on the previous year’s FedExCup points list.
    • Kevin Sutherland
    • Dudley Hart
    • Robert Allenby
    • Ken Duke
    • Billy Mayfair
    • Tim Clark
    • Briny Baird
    • Bubba Watson
19. Top 125 on previous year’s Official Money List: If not exempt under "Special Exemptions," the top 125 PGA TOUR members on the previous year’s Official Money List, in order of their position:
    • Steve Marino
    • Jeff Quinney
    • Mathew Goggin
    • Nicholas Thompson
    • Bart Bryant
    • Rod Pampling
    • Fredrik Jacobson
    • Charlie Wi
    • Tommy Armour II
    • Heath Slocum
    • Ben Crane
    • Ian Poulter
    • Peter Lonard
    • Luke Donald
    • Matt Kuchar
    • Rocco Mediate
    • Nick O’Hern
    • Kevin Streelman
    • Dean Wilson
    • Tom Pernice, Jr.
    • John Merrick
    • Steve Elkington
    • John Senden
    • Ryan Moore
    • Troy Matteson
    • John Mallinger
    • Tim Wilkinson
    • Michael Letzig
    • Tim Herron
    • Brian Davis
    • Cliff Kresge
    • Vaughn Taylor
    • Justin Rose
    • Kevin Na
    • John Rollins
    • Bill Haas
    • Lucas Glover
    • Michael Allen
    • Tim Petrovic
    • Scott McCarron
    • Fred Couples
    • J.J. Henry
    • Corey Pavin
    • Nathan Green
    • Bo Van Pelt
    • Eric Axley
    • Alex Cejka
    • Jeff Overton
    • Brett Quigley
    • Jason Bohn
    • Brad Adamonis
    • Martin Laird
20. Players who finished in the Top 125 on the 2007 PGA TOUR Money List as non-members:
21. Major Medical Extension: If granted by the Commissioner, if not otherwise eligible, and if needed to fill the field, Special Medical Extension.
    • Chris Perry
    • Brett Wetterich
    • Arron Oberholser
    • Joey Snyder II
    • Shaun Micheel
    • Jose Maria Olazabal
    • Kirk Triplett
    • Stephen Leaney
    • Hank Kuehne
    • Jose Coceres
    • Paul Azinger
    • Chris Couch
    • Wes Short, Jr.
22. Leading Money Winner from 2007 Nationwide Tour.
    • Matt Bettencourt
    • Patrick Moore (Medical)
23. Top-10 and Ties among professionals from the previous open tournament whose victory has official status are exempt into the next open tournament whose victory has official status.
24. Top 25 and Ties from the previous year’s PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament, in order of their finish, and players 2-25 on the 2008 Nationwide Tour money list.
    • Harrison Frazar
    • Brendon de Jonge
    • James Nitties
    • Jeff Klauk
    • Derek Fathauer
    • Jarrod Lyle
    • Chris Stroud
    • Bill Lunde
    • John Huston
    • Colt Knost
    • Robert Garrigus
    • Darron Stiles
    • Greg Chalmers
    • Webb Simpson
    • Scott Piercy
    • James Oh
    • Greg Owen
    • Glen Day
    • Peter Tomasulo
    • Notah Begay II
    • Rick Price
    • Matthew Borchert
    • Kris Blanks
    • Gary Woodland
    • David Mathis
    • Jason Dufner
    • Casey Wittenberg
    • Troy Kelly
    • D.A. Points
    • Jimmy Walker
    • Arjun Atwal
    • Tyler Aldridge
    • Aron Price
    • Wil Collins
    • Marc Leishman
    • Leif Olson
    • Brendon Todd
    • Brian Vranesh
    • Scott Gutschewski
    • Chris Riley
    • Spencer Levin
    • Ted Purdy
    • Bryce Molder
    • Mathias Gronberg
    • Matt Weibring
    • David Berganio, Jr.
    • Ricky Barnes
    • Aaron Watkins
    • Kent Jones
    • Bob Heintz
    • Jay Williamson
    • Jonathan Kaye (medical)
    • Duffy Waldorf (medical)
    • Roland Thatcher (medical)
    • Carl Paulson (medical)
25. Nationwide Tour 3-Win Promotion to any player winning 3 times during the current season, in priority determined by the date in which they win their third event.
26. Minor Medical Extension.
27. Next 25 members after the Top 125 members from previous year’s Official Money List. If needed to fill the field, the next 25 PGA TOUR members after the top 125 PGA TOUR members from the previous year’s Official Money List, in order of their position on the list.
    • Shane Bertsch
    • Patrick Sheehan
    • Joe Durant
    • Charles Warren
    • Bob Tway
    • Jason Gore
    • Matt Jones
    • Jason Day
    • Steve Allan
    • Rich Beem
    • James Driscoll
    • Jesper Parnevik*
    • Scott Sterling
    • Kevin Stadler
    • Tag Ridings
    • Tommy Gainey
    • Frank Lickliter II
    *Had the option of taking a one-time Top 50 in PGA TOUR Career Earnings exemption by the end of 2008
28. Non-Exempt, Major Medical Extension
29. Past Champions, Team Tournament Winners and Veteran Members Beyond 150 on Money List: If not otherwise eligible and as needed to fill the field, Past Champion members, Team Tournament Winners and Veteran members beyond 150th place on the previous year’s Money List, in order of their combined official PGA TOUR and Nationwide Tour earnings in the previous year.
30. Past Champion Members: If not otherwise eligible and if needed to fill the field, Past Champion members, in order of the total number of cosponsored or approved events won, excluding Team events. If two or more players are tied, the player who is higher on the PGA TOUR Career Money List shall be eligible.
31. Special Temporary: If during the course of a PGA TOUR season, a nonmember of the PGA TOUR wins an amount of official money (e.g., by playing in PGA TOUR events through sponsor exemptions, Open Qualifying, etc.) equal to the amount won in the preceding year by the 150th finisher on the official money list, he will be eligible for the remainder of the year.
• Ross Fisher
32. Team Tournament Winners: If not otherwise eligible and if needed to fill the field, winners of co-sponsored team championships, in order of the total number of team championship tournaments won. If two or more players are tied based on the number of such tournaments won, the player who is higher on the official PGA TOUR Career Money List shall be eligible.
33. Veteran Members: If not otherwise eligible and if needed to fill the field, Veteran members (players who have made a minimum of 150 cuts during their career), in order of their standing on the PGA TOUR Career Money List.