The criteria used to assemble the PGA Tour fields is much more complex than the LIV Golf Tour, where the only thing required of competitors was the blessing of Greg Norman.
The official list of the Tour has 39 categories for exemptions. These range from the obvious, such as winners of majors or the FedEx Cup, to the obscure, like PGA Section champions or players who have made 300 cuts in their career. The categories are ranked according to priority, and not all classifications are used at every tournament. The Zurich Classic used 20 categories for its field. This was a more difficult construct than usual, since it is made up of 80 two-man team.
Sponsor invites have always been the most opaque criteria, as those who write checks are given tremendous latitude to decide who gets called for a few spots. In general, this is fair. Sponsors should have the right to draw attention to their tournaments, and not be held hostage by a predetermined list of pros.
In February, Ricky Barnes received a free spot at the WM Phoenix Open, a designated tournament with a purse of $25 million. The only reason given was that Barnes lives in the area and is well-liked by the event organizers.
When improperly applied, an exemption category that is intended to be beneficial can actually work against a tournament.
Paresh Amini, a 43 year-old veteran of the military with a shabby record on mini tours, shot 42 over par in Q-School to qualify for the Mackenzie Tour.
Thompson told my colleague Adam Schupak that he had become a really good friend. “I’ve never had success in a team format with a partner. If I were to play in a team event I would want to be with someone that I liked. He is trying to become a professional golfer and I wanted him to have the chance to attend a PGA Tour tournament, meet equipment representatives, and meet caddies.”
The pair only managed a score of 71 in the first round of the best ball format, which is usually a lower scoring event. This placed them at 77th out 80 teams. The pair dropped two more places after a 75 on Friday in the alternate shot format.
Amin , the local newspaper in New Orleans, told the Times-Picayune that “these guys have an obvious advantage over me.” They’ve done it all their lives. “I’m trying to crack the codes and make a full-time living out here.”
Maurice Flitcroft’s ghost is somewhere laughing.
Thompson and Amin only avoided the humiliation of being last thanks to a second pair of sponsors: David Duval & John Daly. Zurich probably hoped that the recognition of these previous major winners would attract attention to an event which is sandwiched between majors and designated stop on the calendar. Cantlay and Schauffele are among the notable names in this tournament, but there are too many other names that would only be known by caddies looking for work or attentive process servers.
Duval and Daly have a problem in that they are utterly uncompetitive, even on the PGA Tour Champions. Duval has never cracked the top 10 of his senior career. Daly, on the other hand, has only done it once in 33 attempts. Their performance was as expected: rounds of 75 to 83 put them in last place by 12 strokes. The few spectators who watched the team’s erratic shots may have enjoyed the sight of the old-timers, but many Tour players would not.
The winning team in New Orleans will earn more than just cash. Each member will receive a fully exempt status until 2025, 400 FedEx Cup Points, and spots at the upcoming PGA Championships, Charles Schwab Challenge, Memorial Tournament, as well as entry into the 2024 Sentry Tournament. This is a great return, even if you only hit half the shots in 50% of the rounds.
FedEx Cup points, the currency of PGA Tour has never been so valuable. The top 50 points earners will be guaranteed access to the lucrative 2024 designated events. The top 70 players will be able to play in the next season. This is down from 125 years ago. As the size of fields shrinks, fewer players are guaranteed a place. The opportunity to earn points is as valuable as the points themselves. Michael Thompson’s friends and veterans Michael Thompson would like to introduce to the equipment reps are less welcome than ever.
There will undoubtedly be grumbling in the locker rooms if Alex Fitzpatrick, an invited non-member, earns his status by winning the Zurich Classic with Matt on Sunday. The 39 exemption categories do not include family ties. It will be about the invitees who have proven themselves to be competitively relevant, and thus earned these rewards. Not those no-hopers that only serve to exclude other more deserving candidates.
