The total field will be a maximum of 312 players, consisting of top finishers from 2024 Section PGA Professional Championships and exempt players, if they meet all eligibility criteria.  

Exemptions: 

• Eligible (former) Champions of the PGA Professional Championship (Alex Beach, Rich Berberian Jr., Michael Block,
  Matt Dobyns, Scott Hebert, David Hutsell, Darrell Kestner, Ronald McDougal, Jesse Mueller, Rod Perry, Ron Philo, Ben Polland, Jeff Roth, Steve Schneiter, Braden Shattuck, Mike Small, Bob Sowards, Chip Sullivan, Ryan Vermeer);

• Top twenty (20) finishers, plus ties, from the 2024 PGA Professional Championship, if eligible, not listed above (Preston Cole, Andy Svoboda, Jeff Kellen, Josh Speight, Larkin Gross, John Somers, Brad Marek, Zac Oakley, Tracy Phillips, Tyler Collet, Evan Bowser, Jeremy Wells, Kyle Mendoza, Jared Jones, Wyatt Worthington II, Josh Bevell);

• PGA Professionals making the cut at the 2024 PGA Championship (N/A, players already in field);

• 2024 Senior PGA Professional Champion (N/A, player already in Field);

• 2024 Assistant PGA Professional Champion (Domenico Geminiani);

• 2024 PGA Cup Team Members - Men's & Women's (Sandra Changkija, Joanna Coe, Stephanie Connelly Eiswerth, Ashley Grier, Allie Knight, Matt Cahill);

• 2024 PGA Professional Players of the Year - Women's, Professional, and Senior (N/A, players already in field); 

• 2025 Winter Championships Stroke Play top two finishers not already in field (Andre Chi, Jan Mayer).

Eligibility is limited to PGA members meeting the following classifications and criteria. Players must be eligibly employed and classified in one of the following active membership classifications (in good standing) at the Time of  Entry and on the Entry Deadline date (April 2, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET). PGA of America’s records must reflect this status on both critical dates. The PGA of America reserves the right to determine player eligibility and reject any player who does not fulfill the requirements listed below.

Not Eligible: 

• A PGA Member serving a suspension from membership;

• A PGA Member suspended from national tournament participation;

• A PGA Member classified as F, LMA. LMMA, LM, LMM, Reserve, A-3, Retired Member, Life Member Century or Honorary Member; 

• A PGA Member who has played in more than four regulated Professional Tour events between April 2, 2024 and April 1, 2025. (All Pro Tour (APT), ANNIKA Women's All Pro Tour, Advocates Professional Golf Association Tour (APGA), Asian Tour, Dakotas Tour, DP World Tour, Epson Tour (LPGA), European Challenge Tour, European Legends Tour, GPro Tour, JPGA Senior Tour, JPGA Tour, Korn Ferry Tour, Ladies European Tour (LET), LIV GOLF Tour, LPGA Tour, Outlaw Tour, PGA TOUR Americas (Formerly MacKenzie Tour and PGA Tour Latin America), PGA Australia Tours, PGA New Zealand Tours, PGA TOUR, PGA TOUR Champions, The Safari Tour and The Sunshine Tour tournaments. Note: The PGA Championship, Senior PGA Championship, KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, U.S. Open, U.S. Senior Open, U.S. Women’s Open, and the U.S Senior Women’s Open are not included in the tournament count. 

• *Eight (8) Tournament Exceptions: The current year’s PGA Professional Championship champion will be allowed a total maximum of eight (8) tournaments. The applicability period shall start on the day after the tournament in which the exemption is achieved (i.e. winning the PGA Professional Championship) and lasts for eighteen (18) months beyond the beginning of the PGA TOUR season in which the PPC Champion is exempt (e.g. Jan 30th, 2025 is the first PGA TOUR event of the year the 2024 PPC Champion is invited to play and the 18 months begins on that date).  Reason: The PPC Champion earns exemptions into six (6) PGA TOUR open tournaments the following year with their win, which leaves room for them to qualify for two (2) additional tournaments. Additionally, any PGA Member finishing in the Top 15 of the PGA Championship, Top 15 of the Senior PGA Championship and/or the Top 10 of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, that would exempt them into the following year’s Championship, also allowing that member a maximum of eight (8) tournaments instead of four (4), provided the member does not transfer into an A-3 classification and/or accept any temporary membership that a respective tour may offer. These additional opportunities increase the spotlight on PGA Members and their playing accomplishments, and have a resulting positive impact on our membership overall. The applicability period is eighteen (18) months and shall start on the day after the tournament in which the exemption is achieved (i.e. PGA Championship, Senior PGA Championship or Women's PGA Championship). Reason: Such a strong finish in these Major Championships may provide additional playing opportunities which could result in exceeding the Four (4) Tournament Rule. For players that have earned the Eight (8) Tournament Exception: For each tournament/award where eligibility is conditioned on compliance with the standard Four (4) Tournament Rule, each exempted individual's eligibility will be conditioned on compliance with the Eight (8) Tournament Rule, which will be applied by reviewing the number of counted tournaments the applicable individual competed in during the twelve (12) months leading up to the date when eligibility is finalized for the applicable tournament/award. This application of the rule will result in a twelve (12) month, rolling look-back for the applicable tournaments/awards during the eighteen (18) month applicability period. Immediately upon expiration of the eighteen (18) month applicability period, the individual's eligibility for applicable tournaments/awards will revert to being conditioned on the Four (4) Tournament Rule, which will be applied by reviewing the number of counted tournaments the applicable individual competed in during the 12 month period leading up to the date when eligibility is finalized for the applicable tournament/award. The application of the Eight (8) Tournament Rule is renewable if the qualifications are achieved again by the individual in a subsequent tournament.

Eligible: 

• MP - Master Professional (must also be eligibly employed in one of the other classifications listed)

• A-1 - Head Professional

• A-2 - Head Professional at a golf range

• A-4 - Director of Golf

• A-5 - PGA President (must also be eligibly  employed in one of the other classifications listed)

• A-6 - Golf Instructor

• A-7 - Director of Golf or Head Professional at a golf facility under construction

• A-8 - Assistant Professional

• A-9 - Executive or Manager of golf properties

• A-10 - Golf Clinician

• A-11 - Golf Administrator

• A-12 - Golf Coach

• A-13 - General Manager

• A-14 - Director of Instruction

• A-15 - Retail Golf Facility Manager

• A-16 - Golf Course Architect/ Builder

• A-17 - Golf Course Superintendent

• A-18 - Golf Media

• A-19 - Golf Manufacturer Management

• A-20 - Golf Manufacturer Sales Representative

• A-21 - Golf Tournament Director

• A-22 - Rules Official

• A-23 - Golf Club Fitting/ Repair

• A-24 - Golf Industry other

• A-25 - Current or past President/CEO/Chairs who are member professionals of PGA Recognized professional golf associations

Non-Exempt:  Openings caused by the withdrawal, or non-entry, of a NON-EXEMPT player will be filled from within that player’s PGA Section Alternate List, until Thursday, April 10, 2025 @ 7:00am ET. If the Section has no alternates available, then the opening will be filled directly from the National Alternate List.

Exempt:  Openings caused by the withdrawal, or non-entry, of an EXEMPT player will be filled directly from the National Alternate List.

On April 11:  All openings caused by the withdrawal of any player, beginning Thursday, April 10, 2025 @ 7:00am ET, will be filled directly from the National Alternate List. 

CLICK HERE for National Alternate List and Policy

Notify PGA Staff:  If you must withdraw from the Championship, please advise us as soon as possible, so that we may inform the next alternate of the spot.

Contact:  Sara Jane Bernhardt;  SBernhardt@pgahq.com; 561.281.7321