* – Denotes a player who finished in the top 125 of the FedEx Cup points list.
Bold text – Denotes a player who won in 2017.
- 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.)
- Jason Day* (2021) – moves to cat 2 in 2021
- Dustin Johnson* (2021)
- Rory McIlroy* (2021) – moves to cat 8 in 2020
- Jimmy Walker* (2021)
- Justin Rose* (2020) – moves to cat 10 in 2019
- Jordan Spieth* (2021) – moves to cat 10 in 2021
- Jason Dufner* (2019) – moves to cat 10 in 2019
- Webb Simpson* (2018) – moves to cat 10 in 2018
Martin Kaymer declined membership. Brooks Koepka and Justin Thomas were promoted to this category after their wins and earned exemptions through 2022. Spieth extended his exemption to 2022; he would fall to cat 4 in 2021. Johnson extended his to 2022, in which season he would fall to cat 10. Dufner extended his to 2020; he would fall to cat 7 in 2019.
- 2. Winners of the THE PLAYERS Championship in the last 10 calendar years. (Beginning In 1998, this is a five-year exemption.)
- Rickie Fowler* (2020)
- Matt Kuchar* (2019) – moves to cat 10 in 2018
- Tiger Woods (2018)
Kim Si-woo was promoted to this category after his win earned an exemption through 2022. Fowler extended his exemption to 2021, in which season he would fall to cat 10.
- 3. Winners of the Masters Tournament in the last 10 calendar years. (Beginning in 1998, this is a five-year exemption.)
- Adam Scott* (2021) – moves to cat 6 in 2019 and cat 10 in 2020
- Bubba Watson* (2021) – moves to cat 10 in 2020
- Danny Willett (2021)
Sergio García was promoted to this category after his win earned an exemption through 2022.
- 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* (2021)
- Zach Johnson* (2020)
- Phil Mickelson* (2018)
- Ernie Els
Stenson extended his exemption to 2022, in which season he would fall to cat 10.
Els finished outside the top 150 and used a top 25 career money exemption for 2018.
- 5. THE TOUR Championship winners in the last three years, beginning with the 1998 winner
- Billy Horschel* (2019) – moves to cat 8 in 2018
Xander Schauffele earned an exemption through 2020 with his win.
- 6. Winners of World Golf Championship events, beginning in 1999 (a three-year exemption)
- Russell Knox* (2020) – moves to cat 10 in 2019
- Patrick Reed* (2019) – moves to cat 10 in 2018
- Shane Lowry (2018)
Hideki Matsuyama was promoted to this category after his HSBC Champions win and earned an exemption through 2020; he subsequently extended this to 2022, and would fall to cat 10 in 2021.
- 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* (2019)
- Matt Every (2018)
- David Lingmerth* (2018)
Marc Leishman was promoted to this category after his win and earned an exemption through 2020; he subsequently extended this to 2021, in which season he would fall to cat 10.
- 8. The winner of the FedEx Cup in each of the last five calendar years
- Brandt Snedeker* (2018) – moves to cat 10 in 2018
- 9. The leader in PGA TOUR official earnings in each of the last five calendar years (up to 2016)
- 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.
- Aaron Baddeley (2018)
- Daniel Berger* (2018)
- Greg Chalmers (2018)
- Tony Finau* (2018)
- Sergio García* (2018)
- Fabián Gómez (2018)
- Branden Grace* (2018)
- Emiliano Grillo* (2018)
- James Hahn* (2018)
- Jim Herman* (2018)
- Charley Hoffman* (2018)
- Billy Hurley III (2018)
- Smylie Kaufman (2018)
- Kim Si-woo* (2018)
- Chris Kirk* (2018)
- Kevin Kisner* (2018)
- Peter Malnati (2018)
- Hideki Matsuyama* (2018)
- Graeme McDowell (2018)
- Ryan Moore* (2018)
- Charl Schwartzel* (2018)
- Brian Stuard (2018)
- Vaughn Taylor* (2018)
- Justin Thomas* (2018)
- Jhonattan Vegas* (2018)
- Bae Sang-moon
- Steven Bowditch
- Keegan Bradley*
- Alex Čejka
- Jim Furyk
- Bill Haas*
- Pádraig Harrington
- J. J. Henry*
- J. B. Holmes*
- Brooks Koepka*
- Danny Lee*
- Davis Love III
- Hunter Mahan
- Ben Martin*
- Troy Merritt
- Scott Piercy*
- Robert Streb*
- Steve Stricker*
- Nick Taylor*
Date | Player | Tournament |
---|---|---|
Jun 18 | Brooks Koepka | U. S. Open |
Not including Xander Schauffele, who was afterwards promoted to cat 5, twenty players moved into this category during the season.
Love moved to the life member category. Bae received a major medical extension, and Harrington a minor. Čejka finished in the 126–150 range and made it through the Finals. Merritt, Furyk, Mahan, and Bowditch finished outside the top 150; Merritt made it through the Finals, while the rest fell to past champion status (Bowditch has not regained better status since).
- 11a. Career money exemptions – top 50
Van Pelt played no events and was granted a re-use. Pettersson finished outside the top 150 and fell to past champion status in 2018; he has not regained better status since.
- 11b. Career money exemptions – top 25
- 18. Life members
- 19. Top 125 on the previous year’s FedExCup points list
- Paul Casey*
- Kevin Chappell*
- Gary Woodland*
- Roberto Castro
- Sean O'Hair*
- Kevin Na*
- Jason Kokrak*
- Ryan Palmer
- Louis Oosthuizen*
- Harris English*
- Jamie Lovemark*
- Charles Howell III*
- Brian Harman*
- David Hearn
- Luke Donald*
- Kevin Streelman*
- Kyle Reifers
- Brendan Steele*
- Hudson Swafford*
- Daniel Summerhays
- Jon Curran
- Marc Leishman*
- Ricky Barnes
- Jerry Kelly
- Chad Campbell*
- Patrick Rodgers*
- Harold Varner III*
- Martin Laird*
- Johnson Wagner
- Colt Knost
- Scott Brown*
- Chez Reavie*
- Patton Kizzire*
- Adam Hadwin*
- Russell Henley*
- John Senden
- Bryce Molder
- Freddie Jacobson
- K. J. Choi
- Spencer Levin
- John Huh*
- Kang Sung-hoon*
- Jason Bohn
- Tyrone van Aswegen*
- Derek Fathauer*
- Blayne Barber*
- Lucas Glover*
- Jonas Blixt*
- Brett Stegmaier
- Robert Garrigus*
- Zac Blair
- Francesco Molinari*
- Cameron Tringale
- Andrew Loupe
- Boo Weekley
- Mark Hubbard
- Kyle Stanley*
- Ben Crane
- Michael Kim*
- Anirban Lahiri*
- Graham DeLaet*
- Luke List*
- Shawn Stefani
- David Toms
- Noh Seung-yul*
Date | Player | Tournament |
---|---|---|
Oct 16 | Brendan Steele | Safeway Open |
Jan 22 | Hudson Swafford | CareerBuilder Challenge |
Mar 12 | Adam Hadwin | Valspar Championship |
Mar 19 | Marc Leishman | Arnold Palmer Invitational |
Apr 2 | Russell Henley | Shell Houston Open |
Apr 23 | Kevin Chappell | Valero Texas Open |
May 1 | Jonas Blixt | Zurich Classic (with Cameron Smith) |
May 7 | Brian Harman | Wells Fargo Championship |
Jul 2 | Kyle Stanley | Quicken Loans National |
Sep 17 | Marc Leishman (2) | BMW Championship |
Blair, Hearn, Summerhays, Tringale, Palmer, Barnes, Wagner, and Crane finished in the 126–150 range. Palmer received a major medical extension and Crane a minor. Tringale made it through the Finals; the rest settled for conditional status in 2018.
Reifers, Levin, Stefani, Weekley, Castro, Choi, Stegmaier, Hubbard, Molder, Loupe, Bohn, Curran, Senden, Kelly, Jacobson, Toms, and Knost finished outside the top 150. Loupe, Curran, Senden, Jacobson, and Knost received major medical extensions. Choi used a top 25 career money exemption for 2018; Kelly and Toms focused on the senior tour and chose not to use their available career money exemptions. Stefani and Stegmaier made it through the Finals. Weekley, Molder, and Bohn fell to past champion status in 2018 and have never regained better status. Reifers, Levin, Castro, and Hubbard became non-members; Reifers and Levin have not reached the PGA Tour since.
- 20. Top 125 from money list
Marino received a medical extension. Goosen used a top 50 career money exemption for 2018. Collins finished in the 126–150 range and made it through the Finals. Duke finished outside the top 150 and fell to past champion status for good in 2018.
- 21. Non-member top 125
- An Byeong-hun* (first-time member)
- Rafa Cabrera-Bello* (first-time member)
- Jon Rahm* (first-time member)
- Søren Kjeldsen (first-time member)
Date | Player | Tournament |
---|---|---|
Jan 29 | Jon Rahm | Farmers Insurance Open |
Lee Westwood declined membership.
Kjeldsen finished in the 126–150 range and fell to conditional status in 2018.
- 22. Major Medical Extension
- Nick Watney* (21)
- Kevin Stadler (26)
- Ian Poulter* (10)
- Pat Perez* (15)
- Tim Clark (19)
- Brian Gay* (14)
- Bob Estes (23)
- Chris Couch (4)
- Ryo Ishikawa (20)
- Troy Kelly (3)
- Briny Baird (9)
- Harrison Frazar (3)
- Charlie Beljan (12)
- John Peterson (23)
Date | Player | Tournament |
---|---|---|
Nov 13 | Pat Perez | OHL Classic |
Perez won in his third start. Poulter and Gay met their terms in April, and Watney in May. Ishikawa and Kelly both used their last start at the regular-season finale; both finished outside the top 150, became non-members, and have not reached the PGA Tour since. Stadler, Clark, Estes, Couch, Baird, Frazar, Beljan, and Peterson received carry-overs; Clark also elected to use a top 50 career money exemption in 2018.
Patrick Cantlay was promoted to this category in March after meeting his terms; he finished in the top 125.
- 23. Web.com Tour and Finals leading money-winners
- Wesley Bryan* (rookie)
- Grayson Murray* (rookie)
Date | Player | Tournament |
---|---|---|
Apr 16 | Wesley Bryan | RBC Heritage |
Jul 23 | Grayson Murray | Barbasol Championship |
- 24. Medical extension
- 26. Web.com Tour 2-25 and Finals 2-25
- Michael Thompson
- J. J. Spaun* (rookie)
- Bryson DeChambeau* (first-time member)
- Richy Werenski* (rookie)
- Cameron Smith*
- Martin Flores*
- Miguel Ángel Carballo
- Ryan Brehm (rookie)
- Andres Gonzales
- Ollie Schniederjans* (rookie)
- Scott Stallings*
- Nicholas Lindheim (rookie)
- Zack Sucher
- Julián Etulain (rookie)
- Will MacKenzie
- Trey Mullinax (rookie)
- Kevin Tway*
- Pan Cheng-tsung* (rookie)
- Andrew Johnston (rookie)
- Séamus Power (rookie)
- Rod Pampling*
- Dominic Bozzelli* (rookie)
- Gonzalo Fernández-Castaño
- J. T. Poston (rookie)
- Ryan Blaum* (rookie)
- Mackenzie Hughes* (rookie)
- Steven Alker
- Jonathan Randolph
- Xander Schauffele* (rookie)
- Ryan Armour
- Brett Drewitt (rookie)
- Brad Fritsch
- D. A. Points*
- Brian Campbell (rookie)
- Kim Meen-whee*
- Rick Lamb (rookie)
- Kelly Kraft*
- Cody Gribble* (rookie)
- Brandon Hagy* (first-time member)
- Max Homa
- Rory Sabbatini*
- Mark Anderson
- Bobby Wyatt (rookie)
- Sebastián Muñoz (rookie)
- Tag Ridings
- Joel Dahmen (rookie)
- Cameron Percy
- Tim Wilkinson
Date | Player | Tournament |
---|---|---|
Oct 30 | Cody Gribble | Sanderson Farms Championship |
Nov 6 | Rod Pampling | Shriners Hospitals for Children Open |
Nov 21 | Mackenzie Hughes | RSM Classic |
Mar 26 | D. A. Points | Puerto Rico Open |
May 1 | Cameron Smith | Zurich Classic (with Jonas Blixt) |
Jul 9 | Xander Schauffele | Greenbrier Classic |
Jul 16 | Bryson DeChambeau | John Deere Classic |
Sep 24 | Xander Schauffele | Tour Championship |
Those who finished in the 126–150 range were Power, Poston, Mullinax, Percy, Thompson, and Lamb. Thompson received a minor medical extension; Power made it through the Finals. Poston, Mullinax, Percy, and Lamb settled for conditional status.
Muñoz, Ridings, Wilkinson, Gonzales, Armour, Randolph, Etulain, Brehm, Dahmen, Campbell, MacKenzie, Alker, Fernández-Castaño, Johnston, Anderson, Drewitt, Lindheim, Carballo, Fritsch, Sucher, Wyatt, and Homa finished outside the top 150. Sucher received a major medical extension, and MacKenzie and Johnston minors. Armour, Randolph, Dahmen, and Lindheim made it through the Finals. The other 15 became non-members; Ridings, Gonzales, Campbell, Alker, Fernández-Castaño, Drewitt, Carballo, Fritsch, and Wyatt have not reached the PGA Tour since.
- 27. Reshuffle medical
- Brian Davis (5)
- Kris Blanks (9)
- Will Claxton (12)
- Bobby Gates (5)
- Lee Williams (6)
- Shane Bertsch (11)
- Neal Lancaster (1)
- David Berganio Jr. (7)
- Patrick Cantlay* (10)
Cantlay met his terms in March and was promoted to the major medical category. Lancaster's extension expired in February and he fell to past champion status for good. Gates's extension expired in July and he became a non-member; he has not reached the PGA Tour since. Davis, Blanks, Claxton, Williams, Bertsch, and Berganio received carry-overs.
- 28. Three-time Web.com Tour winners in the current year
- 29. Minor Medical Extension
- Jeff Overton (1)
- Will Wilcox (3)
Overton's extension expired in February; he fell to past champion status and has never regained better status. Wilcox fell to the conditional category after his extension expired in March; he finished outside the top 150, became a non-member in 2018, and has not regained membership since.
- 30. 126–150 from money list
Date | Player | Tournament |
---|---|---|
Aug 6 | Chris Stroud | Barracuda Championship |
One player won. Saunders and Owen finished in the 126–150 range; Saunders made it through the Finals, while Owen remained in this category in 2018. The remaining players all finished outside the top 150. Burgoon received a medical extension; he also made it through the Finals, as did Jones, Hoge, and Wheatcroft. Appleby fell to past champion status for good in 2018. Aldridge and Iwata became non-members for 2018 and have never regained membership.
Will Wilcox fell to this category after his medical extension expired in March; he finished outside the top 150, became a non-member in 2018, and has not regained membership since.
- 31. Non-exempt medical extension
- Nicholas Thompson (9)
- Michael Putnam (6)
- Park Sung-joon (11)
Putnam became a non-member after his extension expired in July, and has not made it back to the PGA Tour since. Thompson used his up mainly with Web.com Tour starts; he became a non-member in 2018, and has not regained membership since. Park did not receive a carry-over; he became a non-member in 2018, and has not regained membership since.
- Notable past champions
The following past champions finished in the top 200 of the FedEx Cup points list:
One player finished in the top 125. Byrd made it through the Finals; Chesson Hadley and Ted Potter Jr. finished in the top 25 of the Web.com Tour regular-season money list. The others listed have never regained better status.
- Notable non-members
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 2018):
- Thomas Pieters^
- Tommy Fleetwood^
- Tyrrell Hatton^
- Ross Fisher^
- Alex Norén^
- Martin Kaymer^
- Matthew Fitzpatrick
- Bernd Wiesberger
- Henrik Norlander
- Hideto Tanihara
- Li Haotong
- Lee Westwood
- Scott Hend
- Chris Wood
- Curtis Luck
- Rafael Campos
- Peter Uihlein
- Andy Sullivan
- Joost Luiten
- Thorbjørn Olesen
- Matthew Southgate
- Aaron Wise
- Rob Oppenheim
Pieters, Fleetwood, Hatton, Fisher, Norén, and Kaymer all accepted membership for 2018. Pieters, Fleetwood, and Hatton accepted STM in March, and Fisher in May.
Wise finished in the top 25 of the Web.com Tour regular-season money list. Uihlein and Oppenheim were successful in the Finals; Norlander, Hend, Luck, and Southgate were not.
- Other notes
Twenty-eight players not listed made it from the Web.com Tour to the PGA Tour for 2018 (22 via the regular-season money list, 6 via the Finals).