* – Denotes a player who finished in the top 125 of the money list.
Bold text – Denotes a player who won in 2006.
Note: This seems to have been the first season when a win could lengthen an exemption from a previous season or from a different category.
- 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.)
- Retief Goosen* (2010) – moves to cat 9 in 2010
- Phil Mickelson* (2010)
- Vijay Singh* (2010) – moves to cat 9 in 2010
- David Toms* (2010) – moves to cat 9 in 2007
- Tiger Woods* (2010) – moves to cat 3 in 2008
- Ernie Els* (2009) – moves to cat 9 in 2008
- Jim Furyk* (2009) – moves to cat 9 in 2009
- Davis Love III* (2008) – moves to cat 2 in 2008
- Shaun Micheel* (2008)
- Rich Beem (2007)
- Mark Brooks
- Steve Jones
Michael Campbell declined membership. Geoff Ogilvy was promoted to this category after his win and earned an exemption through 2011.
Singh, Toms, Woods, and Furyk extended their exemptions to 2011. Mickelson did the same; he would fall to cat 3 in 2011. Love extended his to 2009.
Brooks and Jones both finished outside the top 150 and fell to past champion status (for good).
- 2. Winners of the THE PLAYERS Championship in the last 10 calendar years. (Beginning In 1998, this is a five-year exemption.)
- Fred Funk* (2010)
- Adam Scott* (2009)
- Fred Couples* (2007) – moves to cat 9 in 2007
- Steve Elkington (2007)
- Craig Perks (2007)
Stephen Ames was promoted to this category after his win and earned an exemption through 2011. Scott extended his exemption to 2010, in which year he would fall to cat 9.
- 3. Winners of the Masters Tournament in the last 10 calendar years. (Beginning in 1998, this is a five-year exemption.)
- Mike Weir* (2009) – moves to cat 9 in 2009
Nick Faldo declined membership.
- 4. Winners of the British Open in the last 10 calendar years (1990-present). (Beginning In 1998, this is a five-year exemption.)
- Justin Leonard* (2010) – moves to cat 9 in 2008
- Todd Hamilton (2009)
- Ben Curtis* (2008)
- David Duval
- Tom Lehman*
Curtis extended his extension to 2010, and would fall to cat 9 in 2009.
Duval finished outside the top 150 and used a top 25 career money exemption for 2007.
- 5. Winners of the NEC World Series of Golf in the last 10 calendar years. (Beginning in 1998, this is a three-year exemption.)
- Greg Norman (2007)
- 6. THE TOUR Championship winners in the last three years, beginning with the 1998 winner
- Bart Bryant* (2008)
- Chad Campbell* (2007) – moves to cat 9 in 2007
Campbell extended his exemption to 2008.
- 7. Winners of World Golf Championship events, beginning in 1999 (a three-year exemption)
- Stewart Cink* (2007)
- Darren Clarke*
Geoff Ogilvy was promoted to this category, then to cat 1.
- 8. The leader in PGA TOUR official earnings in each of the last five calendar years
- 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* (2009)
- Sergio García* (2008)
- Pádraig Harrington* (2008)
- Stuart Appleby* (2007)
- Jason Bohn* (2007)
- Olin Browne* (2007)
- Mark Calcavecchia* (2007)
- K. J. Choi* (2007)
- Ben Crane* (2007)
- Brad Faxon (2007)
- Robert Gamez (2007)
- Lucas Glover* (2007)
- Jason Gore* (2007)
- Peter Lonard* (2007)
- Geoff Ogilvy* (2007)
- Sean O'Hair* (2007)
- Tim Petrovic (2007)
- Carl Pettersson* (2007)
- Ted Purdy* (2007)
- Wes Short Jr. (2007)
- Heath Slocum* (2007)
- Vaughn Taylor* (2007)
- Stephen Ames*
- Woody Austin*
- Jonathan Byrd*
- John Daly
- Carlos Franco
- Brent Geiberger
- Steve Flesch*
- Mark Hensby – to cat 10 in 2007
- Zach Johnson*
- Jonathan Kaye
- Ryan Palmer*
- Rod Pampling*
- Craig Parry
- Joey Sindelar*
- Andre Stolz
Date | Player | Tournament |
---|---|---|
Mar 19 | Rod Pampling | Bay Hill Invitational |
Mar 26 | Stephen Ames | The Players Championship |
Twenty-one players moved into this category during the season. Stuart Appleby earned an exemption through 2009 with multiple wins.
Geiberger and Kaye finished finished in the 126–150 range; Kaye was successful at Q School, while Geiberger fell to the conditional category for 2007.
Stolz did not play at all in 2006 and did not receive a medical extension; he fell to past champion status (for good). Daly, Franco, and Parry finished outside the top 150 and fell to past champion status (for good, in Parry's case).
- 10a. Members of the last-named U.S. Presidents Cup team
- Chris DiMarco* – stays in cat 10 for 2007
- Scott Verplank* – stays in cat 10 for 2007
- 10b. Members of the last-named International Presidents Cup team
- Tim Clark* – stays in cat 10 for 2007
- Nick O'Hern* (first-time member) – stays in cat 10 for 2007
- Trevor Immelman* (first-time member) – stays in cat 10 for 2007
- 10c. Members of the last-named U.S. Ryder Cup team
Riley finished in the 126–150 range and was unsuccessful at Q School, therefore falling to conditional status for 2007. Haas focused mainly on the senior tour; he finished outside the top 150 and fell to past champion status in 2007 (for good).
- 10d. Members of the last-named European Ryder Cup team
Date | Player | Tournament |
---|---|---|
Mar 12 | Luke Donald | Honda Classic |
Levet received a minor medical extension.
- 11a. Career money exemptions – top 50
Janzen finished in the 126–150 range, fell short in Q School, and fell to conditional status in 2007. O'Meara finished outside the top 150 and fell to past champion status for good.
- 11a. Career money exemptions – top 25
Sutton played only one event and did not receive a carry-over. He fell to past champion status for good in 2007.
- 19. Life members
Watson focused on the senior tour.
- 20. Top 125 from money list
- Billy Mayfair*
- Brandt Jobe*
- Tim Herron*
- Charles Howell III*
- Shigeki Maruyama*
- Joe Ogilvie*
- José María Olazábal*
- Tom Pernice Jr.*
- Bo Van Pelt*
- Justin Rose*
- Greg Owen*
- Jerry Kelly*
- Jeff Brehaut
- Pat Perez*
- Robert Allenby*
- Billy Andrade*
- Kevin Na
- Jeff Sluman*
- Bob Tway
- Dudley Hart*
- Joey Snyder III
- Joe Durant*
- J. L. Lewis
- Charles Warren*
- Aaron Baddeley*
- Harrison Frazar*
- Brett Quigley*
- Scott McCarron
- Arjun Atwal
- Bernhard Langer
- Steve Lowery*
- J. J. Henry*
- Arron Oberholser*
- Rory Sabbatini*
- Daniel Chopra*
- Tag Ridings
- Bob Estes*
- Loren Roberts
- Freddie Jacobson*
- John Senden*
- Brian Davis*
- John Rollins*
- James Driscoll
- Kevin Sutherland*
- Dean Wilson*
- D. J. Trahan*
- Hank Kuehne
- Stephen Leaney*
- Jeff Maggert*
- Robert Damron
- Corey Pavin*
- Jesper Parnevik*
- Doug Barron
- Craig Barlow*
- Rocco Mediate
- Brian Gay*
- Richard S. Johnson*
- Hidemichi Tanaka
- Patrick Sheehan
- Todd Fischer
- John Huston
- Ryuji Imada*
- Tommy Armour III
- Kent Jones*
- Nick Price
Date | Player | Tournament |
---|---|---|
Feb 12 | Arron Oberholser | AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am |
Feb 19 | Rory Sabbatini | Nissan Open |
Apr 16 | Aaron Baddeley | Verizon Heritage |
May 21 | Tim Herron | Bank of America Colonial |
May 28 | Jeff Maggert | FedEx St. Jude Classic |
Jul 2 | J. J. Henry | Buick Championship |
Jul 16 | John Senden | John Deere Classic |
Jul 23 | John Rollins | B.C. Open |
Jul 30 | Corey Pavin | U.S. Bank Championship |
Aug 13 | Dean Wilson | The International |
Oct 1 | D. J. Trahan | Southern Farm Bureau Classic |
Oct 22 | Joe Durant | Funai Classic |
Langer, Brehaut, Atwal, and Ridings finished in the 126–150 range. None were successful in Q School, so all fell to the conditional category for 2007.
Damron, Lewis, Huston, Fischer, Barron, Sheehan, Armour, Tway, Driscoll, Price, McCarron, Na, Mediate, Roberts, Tanaka, Kuehne, and Snyder finished outside the top 150. Tway used a top 50 career money exemption. Lewis, McCarron, Na, Kuehne, and Snyder received major medical extensions, and Mediate a minor. Damron, Huston, Armour, Price, and Roberts fell to past champion status (for good, in Damron's case), while Fischer, Barron, Sheehan, Driscoll, and Tanaka became non-members (only Sheehan and Driscoll would ever regain membership).
- 21. Non-member top 125
McDowell finished outside the top 150 and became a non-member for 2007.
- 22. Major Medical Extension
- Scott Hoch (29)
- Chris Perry (21)
- Paul Stankowski (14)
- Phil Tataurangi (21)
- David Berganio Jr. (11)
- Paul Goydos* (12)
- Jay Williamson (15)
- Ian Leggatt (12)
- John Riegger (8)
Goydos met his terms in April. Riegger and Stankowski's extensions expired in April and July, respectively, but both secured conditional status and fell to the non-exempt medical category. Both finished outside the top 150; Stankowski made it through Q School and Riegger became a non-member for 2007. Williamson's extension expired in July and he became a non-member. Leggatt's expired in May and he fell to the reshuffle, ultimately finishing outside the top 150 and falling to past champion status in 2007 (for good). Hoch, Perry, Tataurangi, and Berganio received carry-overs.
Kirk Triplett and Bob May moved to this category after meeting their terms in February and July, respectively; Triplett won two weeks later, while May finished in the 126–150 range and made it through Q School.
- 23. Nationwide Tour leading money-winner
- Troy Matteson* (rookie)
Date | Player | Tournament |
---|---|---|
Oct 15 | Troy Matteson | Frys.com Open |
- Medical extension
- Jimmy Walker (20)
- Patrick Moore (12)
Walker's extension expired in September and he became a non-member. Moore received a carry-over.
- 25. Q School top 30, Nationwide Tour 2-20
- J. B. Holmes* (rookie)
- Alex Čejka
- Chris Couch*
- Nicholas Thompson (rookie)
- Steven Bowditch (rookie)
- D. A. Points
- Jon Mills (rookie)
- Nick Watney*
- Jerry Smith
- Tom Byrum
- David Branshaw*
- Daisuke Maruyama* (rookie)
- Shane Bertsch*
- Michael Allen
- Mathew Goggin*
- Hunter Mahan*
- Kris Cox
- Will MacKenzie*
- David McKenzie (rookie)
- Robert Garrigus (rookie)
- Roger Tambellini
- Marco Dawson
- Camilo Villegas* (rookie)
- John Engler (rookie)
- Greg Chalmers
- Jeff Overton (rookie)
- Jason Schultz (rookie)
- Bubba Dickerson (rookie)
- Eric Axley* (rookie)
- Ron Whittaker
- Vance Veazey
- Henrik Bjørnstad (rookie)
- Nathan Green* (rookie)
- Brian Bateman
- Charley Hoffman* (rookie)
- Jeff Gove*
- Alex Aragon (rookie)
- Bubba Watson* (rookie)
- Matt Hansen (rookie)
- Mike Sposa
- Ryan Hietala (rookie)
- Greg Kraft
- Bill Glasson
- Bill Haas* (rookie)
- Frank Lickliter*
- Danny Ellis
- Michael Connell (rookie)
- Brett Wetterich*
- Mathias Grönberg*
- B. J. Staten (rookie)
Date | Player | Tournament |
---|---|---|
Feb 5 | J. B. Holmes | FBR Open |
Apr 30 | Chris Couch | Zurich Classic |
May 14 | Brett Wetterich | EDS Byron Nelson Championship |
Aug 27 | Will MacKenzie | Reno–Tahoe Open |
Sep 24 | Eric Axley | Valero Texas Open |
Leggatt fell to this category after his medical extension expired in May; he finished outside the top 150 and fell to past champion status in 2007 (for good).
Those who finished in the 126–150 range were Dickerson, Bateman, Overton, Smith, Dawson, Garrigus, Čejka, and Cox. Bateman, Dawson, Garrigus, and Čejka were successful at Q School; Dickerson, Overton, Smith, and Cox had to settle for conditional status.
Bjørnstad, Allen, McKenzie, Points, Ellis, Whittaker, Kraft, Thompson, Staten, Veazey, Hansen, Chalmers, Schultz, Sposa, Glasson, Tambellini, Byrum, Connell, Aragon, Hietala, Engler, Mills, and Bowditch finished outside the top 150. Byrum received a major medical extension, and Ellis, Staten, Veazey, Glasson, and Bowditch minors. Allen and Schultz were successful in Q School. Kraft settled for past champion status. The other 14 became non-members; McKenzie, Hansen, Sposa, Hietala, and Engler have not reached the PGA Tour again.
- Reshuffle medical
- Carl Paulson (15)
- Boyd Summerhays (13)
Summerhays's extension expired in September and he became a non-member, never to reach the PGA Tour again. Paulson received a carry-over.
- 26. Three-time Nationwide Tour winners in the current year
- 27. Minor Medical Extension
- Kirk Triplett* (11)
- Peter Jacobsen (?)
- Gavin Coles (5)
- James McLean (4)
Date | Player | Tournament |
---|---|---|
Feb 26 | Kirk Triplett | Chrysler Classic of Tucson |
Triplett met his terms in February and was promoted to the major medical category, before winning two weeks later. I have found no information regarding how many starts Jacobsen had, but it appears he did not use them all and did not receive a carry-over; he fell to past champion status for good in 2007. Coles's extension expired in April and he became a non-member, but finished in the top 20 of the Nationwide Tour money list. McLean became a non-member after his extension expired in July, and he would not reach the PGA Tour again.
- 28. 126–150 from money list
Two players finished inside the top 125. Westwood and Uresti finished in the 126–150 range and remained in this category for 2007.
The remaining players all finished outside the top 150. Magee received a medical extension. Wilson, Gutschewski, and Stiles made it through Q School. Lancaster fell to past champion status in 2007. Jones and van der Walt became non-members and have never regained status.
- 29. Non-exempt medical extension
- Bob May (15)
- Frank Nobilo (22)
May met his terms in July and was promoted to the major medical category; he finished in the 126–150 range and made it through Q School. Nobilo played no events and did not receive a carry-over.
John Riegger and Paul Stankowski fell to this category after their medical extensions expired in April and July, respectively. Both finished outside the top 150; Stankowski made it through Q School and Riegger became a non-member for 2007.
- Notable past champions
The following past champions finished in the top 200 of the money list:
One past champion finished in the top 125. Cook, Waldorf, and Cóceres finished in the 126–150 range and (after Waldorf and Cóceres came up short at Q School) all ended up in the conditional category for 2007. Beckman, Pride, Glen Day, and Michael Bradley made it through Q School; Matt Kuchar finished in the top 20 of the Nationwide Tour money list. None of the other players listed would ever regain better status.
- Notable non-members
The following non-members finished the equivalent of top 200 on the money list, including earnings in WGCs (^ denotes those eligible for full PGA Tour membership in 2007):
Cabrera and Stenson accepted membership for 2007; Campbell declined. Cabrera and Stenson accepted STM in August.
Kim made it through Q School, while Day fell short; Stadler finished in the top 20 of the Nationwide Tour money list.
- Other notes
Thirty-seven players not listed made it from the Nationwide Tour to the PGA Tour for 2007 (including Japan Golf Tour winner Paul Sheehan; 19 via the money list, 18 via Q School). Besides Kim, four players with no PGA Tour or Nationwide Tour status in 2006 made it through Q School (including European Tour winner Anders Hansen).