* – 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.)

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.)

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.)

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.)
5. THE TOUR Championship winners in the last three years, beginning with the 1998 winner

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)

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.
Wins by players with expiring exemptions

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
Win
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
19. Top 125 from money list

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
Wins
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

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

Moore received a carry-over.

24. Q School top 25, Nationwide Tour 2-25
Wins
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
Wins
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

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

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:

Win
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):

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.