Qualifiers for all 2025 Signature Events, THE PLAYERS and majors
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Even before the final round of the Sanderson Farms Championship had started, it was almost a certainty that THE PLAYERS Championship, the Masters and the PGA Championship each would be extending an exemption to the winner. See, of the dozen inside the top 10 on the leaderboard after three rounds, only Gary Woodland already is guaranteed a tee time at TPC Sawgrass in 2025, and he was T10 and six strokes back of 54-hole leader Keith Mitchell.
No doubt that many of the golfers who finished inside the top 10 at the conclusion of the Sanderson Farms will qualify for at least THE PLAYERS when the top 125 in the FedExCup are determined at the end of the 2024 season, but only champion Kevin Yu is promised a trip today, for the 26-year-old prevailed at The Country Club of Jackson.
Yu needed a playoff to dismiss Beau Hossler but one only hole in overtime. He buried a birdie from just inside six feet at the par-4 18th hole to seal victory, his first on the PGA TOUR.
In his debut at THE PLAYERS this year, Yu missed the cut. He’ll be making his first appearance in the Masters and the PGA Championship, as well as at The Sentry that launches the 2025 season.
Earlier on Sunday, Wenyi Ding of China captured the title at the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship at Taiheiyo Club Gotemba in Japan. Ding carded a quartet of 3-under 67s to clip fellow countryman Ziqin Zhou by one stroke.
Ding’s experience in his last two starts in the tournament matches what Evan Beck just went through in his last two appearances at the U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship. Just as Beck lost in the final match of last year’s Mid-Am before rising to victory in this year’s edition (on Sept. 26), Ding rebounded from a playoff loss in last year’s Asia-Pacific Amateur.
Ding now is exempt into the 2025 editions of the Masters and The Open Championship. He must remain an amateur to compete off this exemption. The 19-year-old started the week slotted fifth in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, best of anyone in the field in Japan.
NOTE: Until all methods of entry are released by the governing bodies, traditional criteria are used to determine qualifiers. Refer to remaining qualifying criteria at the bottom of the page for details.
SE = All Signature Events
TPC = THE PLAYERS Championship
MAS = Masters
PGA = PGA Championship
US = U.S. Open
OPEN = The Open Championship
Recent additions
SE -- none
TPC -- Kevin Yu
MAS -- Wenyi Ding; Kevin Yu
PGA -- Kevin Yu
US -- none
OPEN -- Wenyi Ding
NOTE: Golfers are omitted if they recently haven’t competed in majors for which they are eligible (e.g., The Open Championship = David Duval, Paul Lawrie).
| Golfer | Qualified |
| Ludvig Åberg | SE, MAS, *PGA, US, OPEN |
| Byeong Hun An | SE, MAS, US, OPEN |
| José Luis Ballester | MAS, US, OPEN (must remain an amateur to compete in the Masters and The Open Championship) |
| Evan Beck | MAS, US (must remain an amateur to compete in both) |
| Rich Beem | PGA |
| Christiaan Bezuidenhout | SE, MAS, US, OPEN |
| Akshay Bhatia | SE, TPC, MAS, US, OPEN |
| Richard Bland | PGA, US |
| Keegan Bradley | SE, TPC, MAS, PGA, US, OPEN |
| Daniel Brown | OPEN |
| Dean Burmester | PGA |
| Sam Burns | SE, TPC, MAS, *PGA, US, OPEN |
| Patrick Cantlay | SE, TPC, MAS, *PGA, US, OPEN |
| K.J. Choi | OPEN |
| Stewart Cink | OPEN |
| Luke Clanton | US, OPEN (must remain an amateur to compete in both) |
| Wyndham Clark | SE, TPC, MAS, PGA, US, OPEN |
| Darren Clarke | OPEN |
| Eric Cole | SE |
| Corey Conners | SE, US |
| Fred Couples | MAS |
| John Daly | PGA, OPEN |
| Cam Davis | SE, TPC, MAS, PGA |
| Jason Day | SE, PGA |
| Bryson DeChambeau | MAS, PGA, US, OPEN |
| Thomas Detry | SE, MAS, PGA |
| Wenyi Ding | MAS, OPEN (must remain an amateur to compete in both) |
| Jason Dufner | PGA |
| Nick Dunlap | SE, TPC, PGA |
| Austin Eckroat | SE |
| Ernie Els | TPC, OPEN |
| Tony Finau | SE, MAS, US, OPEN |
| Matt Fitzpatrick | SE, TPC, MAS, PGA, US, OPEN |
| Tommy Fleetwood | SE, MAS, *PGA, US, OPEN |
| Rickie Fowler | *PGA |
| Ryan Fox | OPEN |
| Sergio Garcia | MAS |
| Chris Gotterup | TPC |
| Max Greyserman | SE |
| Trevor Gutschewski | US (must remain an amateur to compete) |
| Adam Hadwin | SE |
| Harry Hall | TPC, PGA |
| Todd Hamilton | OPEN |
| Brian Harman | SE, TPC, MAS, PGA, US, OPEN |
| Padraig Harrington | PGA, OPEN |
| Tyrrell Hatton | MAS, *PGA |
| Russell Henley | SE, MAS, US, OPEN |
| Lee Hodges | PGA |
| Tom Hoge | SE, MAS, US, OPEN |
| Nicolai Højgaard | *PGA |
| Max Homa | SE, MAS, *PGA |
| Billy Horschel | SE, TPC, MAS, PGA, US, OPEN |
| Viktor Hovland | SE, TPC, MAS, PGA, US, OPEN |
| Sungjae Im | SE, MAS, US, OPEN |
| Stephan Jaeger | SE, TPC |
| Dustin Johnson | MAS, US |
| Zach Johnson | MAS, OPEN |
| Matthew Jordan | OPEN |
| Martin Kaymer | PGA |
| Noah Kent | MAS, US (must remain an amateur to compete in both) |
| Si Woo Kim | SE |
| Chris Kirk | SE, MAS, US, OPEN |
| Kurt Kitayama | TPC |
| Patton Kizzire | TPC, MAS, PGA |
| Brooks Koepka | MAS, PGA, US, OPEN |
| Bernhard Langer | MAS |
| Thriston Lawrence | MAS, OPEN |
| Justin Leonard | OPEN |
| Shane Lowry | SE, TPC, MAS, PGA, US, OPEN |
| Robert MacIntyre | SE, TPC, MAS, PGA, US, OPEN |
| Peter Malnati | TPC |
| Hideki Matsuyama | SE, TPC, MAS, PGA, US, OPEN |
| Denny McCarthy | SE |
| Matt McCarty | TPC, US |
| Rory McIlroy | SE, TPC, MAS, PGA, US, OPEN |
| Shaun Micheel | PGA |
| Phil Mickelson | MAS, PGA, US, OPEN |
| Francesco Molinari | OPEN |
| Taylor Moore | PGA |
| Collin Morikawa | SE, TPC, MAS, PGA, US, OPEN |
| Alex Noren | SE, PGA |
| José Maria Olazábal | MAS |
| Jacob Skov Olesen | US (must remain an amateur to compete) |
| Louis Oosthuizen | OPEN |
| Matthieu Pavon | SE, MAS, US, OPEN |
| Taylor Pendrith | SE, TPC, MAS, US, OPEN |
| J.T. Poston | SE |
| Jon Rahm | MAS, PGA, US, OPEN |
| Aaron Rai | SE, TPC, MAS, PGA, US, OPEN |
| Patrick Reed | MAS |
| Davis Riley | TPC, MAS, PGA |
| Justin Rose | MAS, PGA, OPEN |
| Xander Schauffele | SE, TPC, MAS, PGA, US, OPEN |
| Scottie Scheffler | SE, TPC, MAS, PGA, US, OPEN |
| Adam Schenk | MAS |
| Charl Schwartzel | MAS |
| Adam Scott | SE, MAS, US, OPEN |
| Vijay Singh | MAS, PGA |
| Cameron Smith | MAS, PGA, US, OPEN |
| Jordan Spieth | MAS, *PGA, US, OPEN |
| Henrik Stenson | OPEN |
| Sepp Straka | SE, MAS, *PGA, US, OPEN |
| Hiroshi Tai | MAS (must remain an amateur to compete) |
| Sahith Theegala | SE, MAS, PGA, US, OPEN |
| Justin Thomas | SE, TPC, MAS, PGA, US, OPEN |
| Davis Thompson | SE, TPC, MAS, PGA, US |
| Jhonattan Vegas | TPC, MAS, PGA |
| Jimmy Walker | PGA |
| Bubba Watson | MAS |
| Mike Weir | MAS |
| Danny Willett | MAS |
| Gary Woodland | TPC, US |
| Tiger Woods | MAS, PGA, OPEN |
| Y.E. Yang | PGA |
| Cameron Young | SE, MAS |
| Kevin Yu | TPC, MAS, PGA |
| Will Zalatoris | SE, MAS |
Remaining qualifying criteria
Criteria are listed in chronological order where possible. Best estimates are given but all are subject to change.
Signature Events
- The Sentry (Jan. 2-5)
- AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am (Jan. 30-Feb. 2)
- The Genesis Invitational (Feb. 13-16)
- Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard (March 6-9)
- RBC Heritage (April 17-20)
- Truist Championship (May 8-11)
- Memorial Tournament presented by Workday (May 29-June 1)
- Travelers Championship (June 19-22)
THE PLAYERS Championship (TPC) at TPC Sawgrass (Stadium): March 13-16
- Winners of PGA TOUR events thru the final week before THE PLAYERS.
- Leader of the Race to Dubai ranking to earn a PGA TOUR card at the conclusion of the DP World Tour Championship (Nov. 17).
- Top 125 in the FedExCup at the conclusion of The RSM Classic (Nov. 24).
- Top 10 in the FedExCup at the conclusion of the PGA TOUR event TBD (March 2).
- Top 50 of Official World Golf Ranking (March 3).
- If necessary to complete the field of 144, golfers outside the Top 10 in the FedExCup at the conclusion of the PGA TOUR event TBD on March 2 will gain entry in order of position.
Masters (MAS) at Augusta National Golf Club: April 10-13
- Winners of PGA TOUR events that award full FedExCup points allocation for the TOUR Championship.
- Top 50 of Official World Golf Ranking (Dec. 31).
- Winner of the Latin America Amateur Championship, if still an amateur (Jan. 19).
- Top 50 of Official World Golf Ranking (March 31).
- Special invitations to international players per Masters Tournament Committee as its discretion.
PGA Championship (PGA) at Quail Hollow Club: May 15-18
- Winners of PGA TOUR events through the final week before the 2025 PGA Championship.
- Top three from International Federation Ranking List (TBD).
- Top 20 from PGA Professional Championship (April 30).
- Top 70 from special money list (i.e., "PGA Championship Points") on PGA TOUR from 2024 Charles Schwab Challenge thru the PGA TOUR event TBD (May 11).
- *All 2023 Ryder Cup members inside Top 100 of Official World Golf Ranking (TBD).
- Special exemptions per PGA of America. (This likely will include all golfers from Top 100 of Official World Golf Ranking on TBD.)
- If necessary to complete the field of 156, golfers outside Top 70 from special money list (three lines above) will gain entry in order of position.
U.S. Open (US) at Oakmont Country Club: June 12-15
- Winners of multiple PGA TOUR events that award full FedExCup points allocation since the 2024 U.S. Open.
- Winner of the Latin America Amateur Championship, if still an amateur (Jan. 19).
- Winner of THE PLAYERS Championship (March 16).
- Winner of the Masters (April 13).
- Winner of the PGA Championship (May 18).
- Top five, not otherwise exempt, in the FedExCup at the conclusion of the PGA Championship (May 18).
- Top two, not otherwise exempt, in the 2024 Race to Dubai at the conclusion of the 2025 PGA Championship (May 18).
- Top player, not otherwise exempt, in the 2025 Race to Dubai (May 18).
- Top 60 of Official World Golf Ranking (May 19).
- Final qualifying (TBD).
- Winner of the NCAA Division 1 individual championship, if still an amateur (May 26).
- Top 60 of Official World Golf Ranking (TBD).
- Special exemptions per the USGA.
The Open Championship (OPEN) at Royal Portrush: July 17-20
- Winner of the Japan Open (Oct. 13).
- Top 30 in the Race to Dubai at the conclusion of the DP World Tour Championship (Nov. 17).
- Open Qualifying Series (TBD).
- Winner of the Latin America Amateur Championship, if still an amateur (Jan. 19).
- Winner of the African Amateur Championship, if still an amateur (Feb. 8).
- Winner of the 118th VISA Open de Argentina (TBD).
- Winner of the Masters (April 13).
- Winner of the PGA Championship (May 18).
- Top 50 of Official World Golf Ranking (TBD).
- Top five in the Federation Ranking (TBD).
- Winner of the U.S. Open (June 15).
- Winner of the British Amateur, if still an amateur (June 21).
- Top five, not otherwise exempt, inside the top 20 in the FedExCup at the conclusion of the PGA TOUR event TBD in 2025 (TBD).
- Winner of the European Amateur Championship, if still an amateur (June 28).
- Leader in World Amateur Golf Ranking points accumulated at the St. Andrews Links Trophy (June 8), British Amateur (June 21) and European Amateur Championship, if still an amateur (June 28).
- Final Qualifying. Top 4 at each of four sites (TBD).
- Top five, not otherwise exempt, inside the top 20 in the Race to Dubai at the conclusion of the DP World Tour event TBD in 2025 (TBD).
Rob Bolton is a Golfbet columnist for the PGA TOUR. The Chicagoland native has been playing fantasy golf since 1994, so he was just waiting for the Internet to catch up with him. Follow Rob Bolton on Twitter.