* – Denotes a player who finished in the top 125 of the money list.

Bold text – Denotes a player who won in 2007.

1. Winners 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.)

Michael Campbell declined membership. Ángel Cabrera was promoted to this category after his win and earned an exemption through 2012.

Singh, Woods, and Furyk extended their exemptions to 2012. Mickelson did the same; he would fall to cat 2 in 2011.

2. Winners of the THE PLAYERS Championship in the last 10 calendar years. (Beginning In 1998, this is a five-year exemption.)

Funk extended his exemption to 2011, in which year he would fall to cat 9. Ames extended his to 2012, in which year he would fall to cat 9. Scott extended his to 2011.

Perks finished outside the top 150 and fell to past champion status in 2008 (for good).

3. Winners of the Masters Tournament in the last 10 calendar years. (Beginning in 1998, this is a five-year exemption.)
  • Canada Mike Weir* (2009) – moves to cat 9 in 2009

Zach Johnson was promoted to this category after his win and earned an exemption through 2012. Weir extended his exemption to 2010.

4. Winners of the British Open in the last 10 calendar years (1990-present). (Beginning In 1998, this is a five-year exemption.)

Pádraig Harrington was promoted to this category after his win and earned an exemption through 2012. Leonard extended his exemption to 2011.

5. Winners of the NEC World Series of Golf in the last 10 calendar years. (Beginning in 1998, this is a three-year exemption.)

Norman played in no events in 2007 and used a top 50 career money exemption in 2008.

6. THE TOUR Championship winners in the last three years, beginning with the 1998 winner
7. Winners of World Golf Championship events, beginning in 1999 (a three-year exemption)

Henrik Stenson was promoted to this category after his win and received an exemption through 2010.

8. The leader in PGA TOUR official earnings in each of the last five calendar years
9. Winners of PGA TOUR cosponsored 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.
Wins by players with expiring exemptions
Date Player Tournament
Mar 11 Mark Calcavecchia PODS Championship

Seventeen players moved into this category during the season. K. J. Choi and Steve Flesch earned exemptions through 2010 with multiple wins.

Bohn, Browne, Crane, and Short received medical extensions. Couples and Faxon used top 25 career money exemptions. Gamez and Purdy finished in the 126–150 range, fell short at Q School, and settled for conditional status in 2008.

10a. Members of the last-named U.S. Presidents Cup team
Wins by players with expiring exemptions
Date Player Tournament
Apr 29 [[Scott Verplank] EDS Byron Nelson Championship
10b. Members of the last-named International Presidents Cup team
11a. Career money exemptions – top 50

Tway finished outside the top 150 and fell to past champion status for 2008.

11a. Career money exemptions – top 25

Duval received a medical extension for 2008.

19. Life members

Watson focused on the senior tour.

20. Top 125 from money list

Quigley, Frazar, Jones, Lickliter, Gove, Palmer, Lowery, Daisuke Maruyama, and Andrade finished in the 126–150 range. Quigley received a major medical extension, and Lowery a minor; Jones and Lickliter made it through Q School. Frazar, Gove, Palmer, Daisuke Maruyama, and Andrade fell to the conditional category for 2008.

Owen, Richard S. Johnson, Branshaw, Sindelar, Hart, Sluman, David Howell, Azinger, Barlow, Clarke, Bertsch, and Jobe finished outside the top 150. Sluman used a top 25 career money exemption for 2008. Hart, Azinger, Barlow, Bertsch, and Jobe received major medical extensions; Richard S. Johnson made it through Q School. Clarke forfeited his membership for 2008, despite being a past champion. Sindelar fell to past champion status (for good), while Owen, Branshaw, and David Howell became non-members (only Owen would regain membership).

21. Non-member top 125
22. Major Medical Extension

Na met his terms in June. Tataurangi's extension expired in February and he fell to past champion status (for good). Hoch elected to use a top 25 career money exemption rather than a carry-over. Perry, McCarron, Snyder, Lewis, Berganio, and Kuehne received carry-overs.

Rocco Mediate moved to this category after meeting his terms in March; he finished in the top 125.

23. Nationwide Tour leading money-winner
Medical extension

Moore received a carry-over.

25. Q School top 30, Nationwide Tour 2-20

Those who finished in the 126–150 range were Kanada, Stroud, Merrick, Heintz, McLachlin, LaBelle, Dufner, Allan, Dawson, Buckle, and Coles. Allan and Buckle received minor medical extensions. Stroud, Merrick, and McLachlin were successful at Q School; Kanada, Heintz, LaBelle, Dufner, Dawson, and Coles had to settle for conditional status.

Isenhour, Hansen, de Jonge, Putnam, Pride, Sim, Day, Lyle, Tidland, Barcelo, Bowden, Stankowski, Reifers, Brigman, Gow, Molder, Lile, Gutschewski, May, Stiles, Johnson, Schultz, Wheatcroft, Boyd, Hendrix, Rutledge, van Zyl, Bradley, Sheehan, and Kaye finished outside the top 150. Sim, Bradley, and Kaye received major medical extensions, and Stankowski and May minors. None of the remaining players were successful in Q School. Pride and Day settled for past champion status. The other 23 became non-members; Isenhour, Hansen, Gow, Lile, Johnson, Schultz, Boyd, Hendrix, Rutledge, van Zyl, and Sheehan have not reached the PGA Tour again.

Reshuffle medical

Byrum's extension expired in September and he fell to past champion status (for good). Paulson received a carry-over.

26. Three-time Nationwide Tour winners in the current year

One player achieved this:

27. Minor Medical Extension

Mediate met his terms in March and was promoted to the major medical category, going on to finish in the top 125. The media guide reported that Levet had three starts, but he made five without his extension expiring; he did not receive a carry-over. Ellis's extension expired in April and Veazey's, Staten's, and Bowditch's in July; all became non-members, and Ellis and Staten have not reached the PGA Tour again. Glasson's expired in October and he fell to past champion status (for good).

28. 126–150 from money list

Three players finished inside the top 125. The remaining players all finished outside the top 150. Cox received a medical extension. Waldorf and Ridings made it through Q School; Uresti finished in the top 25 of the Nationwide Tour money list. Cook, Westwood, Geiberger, Janzen, and Riley fell to past champion status in 2008 (for good, in Cook and Geiberger's cases). Dickerson, Smith, Brehaut, and Atwal became non-members; only Atwal would ever regained status.

29. Non-exempt medical extension

Magee received a carry-over.

Notable past champions

The following past champions finished in the top 200 of the money list:

One past champion finished in the top 125. Carlos Franco and Jim McGovern made it through Q School; Tom Scherrer finished in the top 25 of the Nationwide Tour money list. Forsman and Delsing would never regain better status.

Notable non-members

The following non-members finished the equivalent of top 200 on the money list, including earnings in WGCs (^ denotes those eligible for full PGA Tour membership in 2008):

Casey, Williamson, and Romero accepted membership for 2008; Fasth declined. Williamson accepted STM in June, Karlsson in July, and Green in August.

None of those listed competed in Q School.

Other notes

Twenty-eight players not listed made it from the Nationwide Tour to the PGA Tour for 2008 (23 via the money list, 5 via Q School). Eleven players with no PGA Tour or Nationwide Tour status in 2006 made it through Q School (including European Tour winners Brett Rumford, Yang Yong-eun, Kenneth Ferrie, and Alejandro Cañizares).