* – Denotes a player who finished in the top 125 of the money list.
Bold text – Denotes a player who won in 2010.
- 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.)
- Ángel Cabrera* (2014) – moves to cat 3 in 2013
- Lucas Glover* (2014)
- Phil Mickelson* (2014) – moves to cat 2 in 2011 and cat 9 in 2013
- Geoff Ogilvy* (2014) – moves to cat 6 in 2012 and cat 9 in 2013
- Tiger Woods* (2014) – moves to cat 9 in 2014
- Yang Yong-eun* (2014)
- Pádraig Harrington* (2013)
Michael Campbell declined membership. Graeme McDowell accepted membership in this category after his win and earned an exemption through 2015.
Ogilvy extended his exemption to 2015. Mickelson extended his to 2015; he would fall to cat 3 in 2013.
- 2. Winners of the THE PLAYERS Championship in the last 10 calendar years. (Beginning In 1998, this is a five-year exemption.)
- Henrik Stenson (2014)
- Stephen Ames* (2013) – moves to cat 9 in 2012
- Sergio García* (2013)
- Fred Funk (2011) – moves to cat 9 in 2011
Tim Clark was promoted to this category after his win and earned an exemption through 2015.
- 3. Winners of the Masters Tournament in the last 10 calendar years. (Beginning in 1998, this is a five-year exemption.)
- Zach Johnson* (2014) – moves to cat 9 in 2013
- Trevor Immelman (2013)
Johnson extended his exemption to 2015.
- 4. Winners of the British Open in the last 10 calendar years (1990-present). (Beginning In 1998, this is a five-year exemption.)
- Stewart Cink* (2014)
- 5. THE TOUR Championship winners in the last three years, beginning with the 1998 winner
- Camilo Villegas* (2011)
Villegas extended his exemption to 2012, in which year he would fall to cat 9. Jim Furyk was promoted to this category after his win, and earned an exemption through 2015; he would fall to cat 7 in 2014.
- 6. Winners of World Golf Championship events, beginning in 1999 (a three-year exemption)
- Vijay Singh* (2013) – moves to cat 7 in 2012
Ian Poulter and Hunter Mahan were promoted to this category after their wins and earned exemptions through 2013. Els did the same, and subsequently extended his exemption to 2014.
- 7. The winner of the FedEx Cup in each of the last five calendar years
- 8. The leader in PGA TOUR official earnings in each of the last five calendar years
Matt Kuchar earned an exemption through 2015.
- 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.
- Kenny Perry* (2014)
- Steve Stricker* (2013)
- Jim Furyk* (2012)
- Brian Gay* (2012)
- Justin Leonard* (2012)
- Adam Scott* (2012)
- Michael Bradley (2011)
- Paul Casey* (2011)
- K. J. Choi* (2011)
- Retief Goosen* (2011)
- Nathan Green (2011)
- Dustin Johnson* (2011)
- Jerry Kelly* (2011)
- Anthony Kim* (2011)
- Matt Kuchar* (2011)
- Martin Laird* (2011)
- Troy Matteson (2011)
- Ryan Moore* (2011)
- Sean O'Hair* (2011)
- Pat Perez* (2011)
- John Rollins* (2011)
- Rory Sabbatini* (2011)
- Heath Slocum* (2011)
- David Toms* (2011)
- Bo Van Pelt* (2011)
- Nick Watney* (2011)
- Mark Wilson* (2011)
- Cameron Beckman*
- Ben Curtis*
- Daniel Chopra
- Ernie Els*
- Steve Flesch
- J. B. Holmes*
- Ryuji Imada*
- Richard S. Johnson
- Greg Kraft
- Davis Love III*
- Steve Lowery
- Will MacKenzie
- Parker McLachlin
- Ryan Palmer*
- Carl Pettersson*
- Chez Reavie
- Andrés Romero*
- D. J. Trahan*
- Marc Turnesa
- Johnson Wagner
- Boo Weekley*
- Mike Weir
Date | Player | Tournament |
---|---|---|
Jan 17 | Ryan Palmer | Sony Open |
Feb 21 | Cameron Beckman | Mayakoba Golf Classic |
Mar 14 | Ernie Els | WGC-CA Championship |
Mar 29 | Ernie Els (2) | Arnold Palmer Invitational |
Jul 25 | Carl Pettersson | RBC Canadian Open |
Not including Hunter Mahan, who was later promoted to cat 6, sixteen players moved into this category during the season. Justin Rose, Dustin Johnson, and Bill Haas earned exemptions through 2013 with two wins. Stricker extended his exemption to 2015. Scott extended his to 2013.
Flesch used a top 50 career money exemption for 2011. Weir, Reavie, and Turnesa received medical extensions. Wagner and Richard S. Johnson finished in the 126–150 range; Johnson made it through Q School, while Wagner fell to conditional status in 2011. Chopra, Kraft, Lowery, MacKenzie, and McLachlin finished outside the top 150; none made it through Q School, so all fell to past champion status in 2011 (for good, in the cases of Kraft, Lowery, and McLachlin).
- 10a. Career money exemptions – top 50
Parnevik played only five events, and was granted a re-use for 2011. Faxon and Lehman finished outside the top 150 and fell to past champion status for good in 2011.
- 10b. Career money exemptions – top 25
Date | Player | Tournament |
---|---|---|
Aug 1 | Stuart Appleby | Greenbrier Classic |
- 17. Life members
Both focused on the senior tour.
- 18. Top 30 on the previous year’s FedExCup points list
Date | Player | Tournament |
---|---|---|
Feb 28 | Hunter Mahan | Waste Management Phoenix Open |
Aug 8 | Hunter Mahan (2) | WGC-Bridgestone Invitational |
- 19. Top 125 from money list
- Ian Poulter*
- Tim Clark*
- Charley Hoffman*
- Robert Allenby*
- Brian Davis*
- Charles Howell III*
- Chad Campbell*
- John Mallinger
- Ben Crane*
- Paul Goydos*
- Tim Petrovic*
- Brandt Snedeker*
- George McNeill
- John Merrick
- Bubba Watson*
- Bill Haas*
- Brett Quigley
- Bryce Molder*
- Charlie Wi*
- D. A. Points*
- Jonathan Byrd*
- Jason Day*
- Webb Simpson*
- Jeff Klauk
- Kevin Sutherland*
- Fred Couples
- Jeff Overton*
- Freddie Jacobson*
- Briny Baird
- Vaughn Taylor*
- J. J. Henry*
- Jason Bohn*
- Woody Austin
- Justin Rose*
- Mathew Goggin
- Bob Estes
- Nick O'Hern
- Greg Chalmers*
- Scott Piercy
- Kevin Streelman*
- Scott McCarron
- Rod Pampling
- Alex Čejka*
- James Nitties
- Kevin Stadler*
- Michael Letzig
- Lee Janzen
- Ted Purdy
- Aaron Baddeley*
- Bill Lunde*
- James Driscoll
- Mark Calcavecchia
- Greg Owen
- Michael Allen
- Matt Bettencourt*
- Harrison Frazar
- Chris Stroud*
- Jeff Quinney
- Ricky Barnes*
- Roland Thatcher*
- Rich Beem
- Nicholas Thompson
- Jimmy Walker*
Date | Player | Tournament |
---|---|---|
Jan 25 | Bill Haas | Bob Hope Classic |
Jan 31 | Ben Crane | Farmers Insurance Open |
Feb 21 | Ian Poulter | WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship |
Apr 25 | Jason Bohn | Zurich Classic |
May 9 | Tim Clark | The Players Championship |
May 23 | Jason Day | HP Byron Nelson Championship |
Jun 6 | Justin Rose | The Memorial Tournament |
Jun 27 | Bubba Watson | Travelers Championship |
Jul 4 | Justin Rose (2) | AT&T National |
Jul 18 | Matt Bettencourt | Reno–Tahoe Open |
Aug 8 | Bill Lunde | Turning Stone Resort Championship |
Sep 6 | Charley Hoffman | Deutsche Bank Championship |
Oct 3 | Bill Haas (2) | Viking Classic |
Aug 23 | Ryan Moore | Wyndham Championship |
Oct 24 | Jonathan Byrd | Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open |
Baird, Austin, Allen, Estes, Mallinger, Piercy, McNeill, Merrick, McCarron, Quinney, Janzen, and Letzig finished in the 126–150 range. None made it through Q School; all fell to the conditional category for 2011.
Thompson, Nitties, Driscoll, Quigley, Goggin, O'Hern, Couples, Purdy, Pampling, Owen, Frazar, Klauk, Beem, and Calcavecchia finished outside the top 150. Couples and Calcavecchia used career money exemptions for 2011 – top 50 and top 25, respectively. O'Hern, Frazar, Klauk, and Beem received major medical extensions. Driscoll made it through Q School. Quigley, Purdy, and Pampling fell to past champion status (for good, in Quigley and Purdy's cases). Thompson, Nitties, Goggin, and Owen became non-members (Nitties has never regained status).
- 20. Non-member top 125
- Rory McIlroy* (first-time member)
- Jeev Milkha Singh (first-time member)
Date | Player | Tournament |
---|---|---|
May 2 | Rory McIlroy | Quail Hollow Championship |
Lee Westwood, Ross Fisher, Oliver Wilson, and Graeme McDowell declined membership.
Singh received a minor medical extension.
- 21. Major Medical Extension
- Chris Perry (18)
- Brett Wetterich (17)
- Bart Bryant (9)
- Arron Oberholser (14)
- Joey Snyder III (25)
- Dudley Hart (13)
- José María Olazábal (20)
- Tim Wilkinson (12)
- Hank Kuehne (18)
- José Cóceres (6)
- Chris Couch* (21)
- Wes Short Jr. (12)
Couch met his terms in August. Wilkinson's extension expired in June and he became a non-member. Wetterich, Bryant, Oberholser, Snyder, Hart, Olazábal, Kuehne, Cóceres, and Short received carry-overs; Perry did not, and fell to past champion status for good.
- 22. Nationwide Tour leading money-winner
- Medical extension
- Patrick Moore (8)
Moore received a carry-over.
- 24. Q School top 25, Nationwide Tour 2-25
- Troy Merritt* (rookie)
- Chad Collins*
- Jeff Maggert*
- Blake Adams* (rookie)
- Matt Jones*
- Derek Lamely* (rookie)
- Martin Flores (rookie)
- Tom Gillis*
- Neal Lancaster
- Chris Tidland
- Brendon de Jonge*
- Josh Teater* (rookie)
- Billy Horschel (rookie)
- Cameron Percy (rookie)
- David Lutterus
- Roger Tambellini
- J. P. Hayes*
- Matt Every (rookie)
- Graham DeLaet* (rookie)
- Justin Bolli
- Jay Williamson
- Garrett Willis*
- Chris Wilson (rookie)
- Kevin Johnson
- Kris Blanks*
- Garth Mulroy (rookie)
- Brenden Pappas
- Jerod Turner (rookie)
- Shane Bertsch
- Alex Prugh* (rookie)
- Omar Uresti
- Jeff Gove
- Rickie Fowler* (rookie)
- Henrik Bjørnstad
- Joe Ogilvie
- Chris Baryla (rookie)
- Cameron Tringale (rookie)
- Steve Wheatcroft
- Brian Stuard (rookie)
- Rich Barcelo
- Michael Connell*
- Craig Bowden
- Chris Riley*
- Vance Veazey
- Spencer Levin*
- Mathias Grönberg
- Brent Delahoussaye (rookie)
- Fran Quinn
- Andrew McLardy
Date | Player | Tournament |
---|---|---|
Mar 15 | Derek Lamely | Puerto Rico Open |
Those who finished in the 126–150 range were Ogilvie, Percy, and Tidland. None were successful at Q School; all settled for conditional status.
Stuard, Every, Wheatcroft, Williamson, Tambellini, Grönberg, Flores, Tringale, Mulroy, Uresti, Bjørnstad, Barcelo, Bowden, Pappas, Lutterus, Veazey, Gove, Turner, Wilson, Bolli, Johnson, Delahoussaye, Bertsch, McLardy, Quinn, Baryla, Horschel, and Lancaster finished outside the top 150. Bertsch, Lancaster, Quinn, Horschel, and Baryla received major medical extensions and Bowden, Every, Mulroy, and Turner minors. Horschel and Baryla also made it through Q School, as did Tringale. Williamson and Uresti settled for past champion status (for good). The other 16 became non-members; Tambellini, Grönberg, Bjørnstad, Barcelo, Pappas, Lutterus, Veazey, Johnson, Delahoussaye, and McLardy have not reached the PGA Tour again.
- Reshuffle medical
- Duffy Waldorf (19)
- Arjun Atwal* (8)
- John Huston (11)
- Notah Begay III (7)
- Gary Woodland (8)
- David Berganio Jr. (7)
- Carl Paulson (15)
Date | Player | Tournament |
---|---|---|
Aug 22 | Arjun Atwal | Wyndham Championship |
Atwal's extension expired in July and he became a non-member, but subsequently won as a Monday qualifier. Woodland's expired in August and he became a non-member, but made it through Q School. Begay's and Huston's expired in July and August, respectively, and both fell to past champion status (for good). Waldorf, Berganio, and Paulson received carry-overs.
- 25. Three-time Nationwide Tour winners in the current year
- 26. Minor Medical Extension
- Tommy Armour III (7)
- Brad Adamonis (2)
- Jarrod Lyle (5)
Lyle secured conditional status and fell to the non-exempt medical category after his extension expired in May; he finished outside the top 150 but made it through Q School. Armour did not use all of his starts and did not receive a carry-over; he fell past champion status for good in 2011. Adamonis's extension expired in February; he became a non-member and has never reached the PGA Tour again.
- 27. 126–150 from money list
Date | Player | Tournament |
---|---|---|
Oct 17 | Rocco Mediate | Frys.com Open |
Nov 14 | Robert Garrigus | Children's Miracle Network Classic |
Three players finished in the top 125, including two winners. Pernice, Price, Warren finished in the 126–150 range; none succeeded at Q School, so all remained in this category for 2011. The remaining players all finished outside the top 150. DiMarco and Herron used top 50 career money exemptions for 2011; Weibring received a medical extension. Hamilton fell to past champion status in 2011 (for good). Kresge became a non-member and has never regained status.
- 28. Non-exempt medical extension
Jarrod Lyle ended up in this category after his minor medical expired in May; he finished outside the top 150 but made it through Q School.
- Notable past champions
The following past champions finished in the top 200 of the money list:
Four players finished in the top 125. Stankowski and Mayfair finished in the 126–150 range; both made it through Q School, as did Jones. Of the remaining players, only Daly has ever regained better status.
- Notable non-members
Besides Arjun Atwal, one non-member won and accepted membership:
Date | Player | Tournament |
---|---|---|
Jun 20 | Graeme McDowell | U.S. Open |
The following non-members (plus Tim Wilkinson) finished the equivalent of top 200 on the money list, including earnings in WGCs (^ denotes those eligible for full PGA Tour membership in 2011):
- Lee Westwood^
- Martin Kaymer^
- Charl Schwartzel^
- Louis Oosthuizen^
- Robert Karlsson^
- Grégory Havret^
- Edoardo Molinari
- Francesco Molinari
- Álvaro Quirós
- Peter Hanson
- Oliver Wilson
- Thongchai Jaidee
- Miguel Ángel Jiménez
- Bob Heintz
- Ryo Ishikawa
- Liang Wenchong
- Simon Dyson
- Yuta Ikeda
- Ross McGowan
- Søren Kjeldsen
- Ken Duke
- Ross Fisher
- Alistair Presnell
- Robert Rock
- Søren Hansen
- Anders Hansen
- Shingo Katayama
- Stephen Gallacher
Date | Player | Tournament |
---|---|---|
Jun 13 | Lee Westwood | St. Jude Classic |
Jul 18 | Louis Oosthuizen | The Open Championship |
Aug 15 | Martin Kaymer | PGA Championship |
Schwartzel, Oosthuizen, and Karlsson accepted membership for 2011; Westwood, Kaymer, and Havret declined. Schwartzel accepted STM in March, and Karlsson in July.
Heintz and Duke were unsuccessful in Q School.
- Other notes
Thirty-two players not listed made it from the Nationwide Tour to the PGA Tour for 2011 (25 via the money list, 7 via Q School). Eleven players with no PGA Tour or Nationwide Tour status in 2010 made it through Q School.