* – Denotes a player who finished in the top 125 of the FedEx Cup points list.

Bold text – Denotes a player who won in 2016.

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.)

Martin Kaymer declined membership. Dustin Johnson and Jimmy Walker were promoted to this category after their wins and earned exemptions through 2021. Spieth and Day extended their exemptions to 2021, in which season Spieth would fall to cat 10 and Day to cat 2. Dufner extended his to 2019, in which season he would fall to cat 10. McIlroy extended his to 2021; he would fall to cat 8 in 2020.

2. Winners of the THE PLAYERS Championship in the last 10 calendar years. (Beginning In 1998, this is a five-year exemption.)
3. Winners of the Masters Tournament in the last 10 calendar years. (Beginning in 1998, this is a five-year exemption.)
Wins by players with expiring exemptions
Date Player Tournament
Mar 13 Charl Schwartzel Valspar Championship

After declining membership at the start of the season, Danny Willett accepted after winning the Masters; he earned an exemption through 2021. Watson extended his exemption to 2021. Scott also extended his to 2021; he would fall to cat 6 in 2019 and cat 10 in 2020.

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

Henrik Stenson was promoted to this category after his win and earned an exemption through 2021.

Clarke played only four events, and as a result became a non-member in 2017.

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

Russell Knox was promoted to this category after his win and earned an exemption through 2019; he subsequently extended this to 2020, in which season he would fall to cat 10. Reed extended his exemption to 2019.

7. Winners of the Arnold Palmer Invitational and the Memorial Tournament in the last three seasons and the current season, beginning with the 2015 winners

William McGirt was promoted to this category after his win and earned an exemption through 2019.

8. The winner of the FedEx Cup in each of the last five calendar years

Snedeker extended his exemption to 2018, in which season he would fall to cat 10.

9. The leader in PGA TOUR official earnings in each of the last five calendar years
10. 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

Nineteen players moved into this category during the season.

Clark, Stadler, and Watney received medical extensions. Jones and Stallings finished in the 126–150 range; Stallings made it through the Finals, while Jones fell to conditional status in 2017. Cabrera, Hadley, Ogilvy, Todd, and Villegas finished outside the top 150; Ogilvy used a top 50 career money exemption for 2017, while the rest fell to past champion status (for good, in Cabrera's case).

11a. Career money exemptions – top 50

Van Pelt played only five events and was granted a re-use. Leonard and Allenby finished outside the top 150 and fell to past champion status for good in 2017.

11b. Career money exemptions – top 25
18. Life members
19. Top 125 on the previous year’s FedExCup points list

Lee Westwood declined membership.

Hoffmann, Collins, Goosen, and Duke finished in the top 125 of the money list. Stroud, Wheatcroft, Wilcox, Cink, and Owen finished in the 126–150 range. Cink used a top 25 career money exemption for 2017 and Wilcox received a minor medical extension; the rest settled for conditional status in 2017.

Gonzales, Gore, de Jonge, Overton, Pinckney, Ortiz, Compton, Poulter, Wilson, Sabbatini, McNeill, Ishikawa, Pettersson, Perez, and Peterson finished outside the top 150. Poulter, Ishikawa, Perez, and Peterson received major medical extensions, and Overton a minor. Pettersson used a top 50 career money exemption for 2017. Gonzales and Sabbatini made it through the Finals. Gore, de Jonge, Wilson, and McNeill fell to past champion status in 2017 and have never regained better status. Pinckney, Ortiz, and Compton became non-members; only Ortiz has reached the PGA Tour since.

20. Top 125 from money list

Beljan received a medical extension. Kim and Donaldson finished in the 126–150 range; Kim made it through the Finals, while Donaldson played only 13 events and, ineligible for membership, became a non-member in 2017 (and has never regained membership). MacKenzie finished outside the top 150 but made it through the Finals.

21. Non-member top 125
Wins
Date Player Tournament
Apr 17 Branden Grace RBC Heritage

Danny Willett declined membership, but accepted it after winning the Masters.

Smith finished outside the top 150, but made it through the Finals.

22. Major Medical Extension

Jacobson met his terms in November. Reavie's extension expired in January and, as the Finals leading money-winner, he fell to cat 23. Appleby's extension expired in July and, having secured conditional status, he fell to the cat 30–31 reshuffle; he finished in the 126–150 range and maintained conditional status for 2017. Potter's expired in August and he fell to past champion status. Weir fell to the minor medical category after his major medical expired in April, then to past champion status (for good) after his minor expired in May. Adams's and Hicks's extensions expired in January and July, respectively; both became non-members and have not reached the PGA Tour since. Gay, Estes, Couch, Kelly, Baird, and Frazar received carry-overs.

23. Web.com Tour and Finals leading money-winners

Chez Reavie fell to this category in January after his medical extension expired; he finished in the top 125.

24. Medical extension
26. Web.com Tour 2-25 and Finals 2-25

Marino finished in the top 125 of the money list. Those who finished in the 126–150 range were Burgoon, Wilkinson, Aldridge, Hoge, Thompson, Iwata, and Saunders. Wilkinson and Thompson made it through the Finals. Burgoon, Aldridge, Hoge, Iwata, and Saunders settled for conditional status.

Oppenheim, Piller, Norlander, Kraft, Aiken, Roach, van der Walt, Landry, Ernst, Carballo, Ancer, Pampling, Gibson, Lee Dong-hwan, Lucas Lee, Bertsch, Pride, Stiles, and Davis finished outside the top 150. Bertsch and Davis received medical extensions. Kraft, Carballo, and Pampling made it through the Finals. Ernst and Pride fell to past champion status in 2017, and have not regained better status since. The other 12 became non-members; Aiken, van der Walt, Lee Dong-hwan, Lucas Lee, and Stiles have not reached the PGA Tour again.

27. Reshuffle medical

Cauley met his terms in the final event of the regular season and finished in the top 125 of the money list. Affrunti's extension expired in June and he became a non-member; he has not reached the PGA Tour since. Lyle used his last start at the regular-season finale; he finished outside the top 150, became a non-member in 2017, and would never reach the PGA Tour again. Blanks, Claxton, Gates, Williams, Lancaster, Berganio, and Cantlay received carry-overs.

28. Three-time Web.com Tour winners in the current year

One player achieved this:

29. Minor Medical Extension

Sterne became a non-member after his extension expired in June, and has not reached the PGA Tour since. Romero fell to past champion status after his extension expired in November, and has never regained better status. Gillis fell to the conditional category after his extension expired in February; he finished outside the top 150, became a non-member in 2017, and would not reach the PGA Tour again.

Mike Weir fell to this category after his first extension expired in April; after his second extension expired in May he fell to past champion status for good.

30. 126–150 from money list
Wins

Two players won. The remaining players all finished outside the top 150. Thompson, Park, and Putnam received medical extensions; Percy made it through the Finals. Langley, Prugh, Garnett, and Guthrie became non-members for 2017; Guthrie has never regained membership.

Tom Gillis fell to this category after his medical extension expired in February; he finished outside the top 150, became a non-member in 2017, and would not reach the PGA Tour again.

31. Non-exempt medical extension

Lee became a non-member after his extension expired in August, and has not made it back to the PGA Tour since.

Stuart Appleby fell the cat 30–31 reshuffle after his medical extension expired in July; he finished in the 126–150 range and maintained conditional status for 2017.

Notable past champions

The following past champions finished in the top 200 of the FedEx Cup points list:

Four players won. Points made it through the Finals. Herron and Merrick have never regained better status.

Notable non-members

One non-member won and accepted membership:

Wins
Date Player Tournament
Apr 10 Danny Willett Masters Tournament

The following non-members finished the equivalent of top 200 on the FedEx Cup points list (^ denotes those eligible for full PGA Tour membership in 2017):

Cabrera-Bello, An, Rahm, and Kjeldsen accepted membership for 2017; Westwood and Kaymer did not. An accepted STM in May, and Rahm in July.

DeChambeau, Johnston, and Wyatt were successful in the Finals; Aphibarnrat, Kim, and Bourdy were not.

Other notes

Thirty-four players made it from the Web.com Tour to the PGA Tour for 2017 (25 via the regular-season money list, 9 via the Finals).