Tiger Woods will be able to participate in all eight of the major events of the upcoming season thanks to a new “Lifetime Achievement exemption category” that has been approved by the PGA Tour Policy Board.
The PGA Tour Policy Board approved a new “Lifetime Achievement exemption category” designed especially for Tiger Woods, granting him access to all Signature Events.
The eight signature events, which have large prize money and fewer entries each, have generated a lot of debate in the first year of the PGA Tour’s new schedule. Which players can play in the top tournaments is one of the many concerns that golf fans have brought up during the system’s first season.
Although four exemptions are granted to tournament sponsors, who can then award them to particular PGA Tour players, these passes are typically awarded to a consistent group of players.
Since the Travelers Championship this week is the season’s last major event, a number of improvements to the flawed system are anticipated to be made in the upcoming months. The most significant modification is a special exemption for Woods, which will become operative in 2025.
Over his illustrious career, Woods has experienced unparalleled success that few players can match. In the process, the 48-year-old has earned over $120 million in lifetime earnings in addition to 82 career victories—accomplishments that the Policy Board wished to honor and acknowledge.
Despite the fact that very few, if any, tournament sponsors would have rejected Woods if he had shown interest in participating, he was not previously guaranteed a spot. Due to severe time constraints on the course the past few years and insufficient scores to qualify, the legendary golfer has been forced to use one of the four exemptions available to sponsors.
Sponsors will now have the opportunity to honor other players they feel deserve a spot on the field, as Woods will receive his own exemption to participate in any signature event of his choosing next year. The GREENSHEET newsletter stated, “These exemptions are intended to capture players who are important to the tournament sponsor but who are not otherwise qualified.”
“The PAC supported adding an additional sponsor exemption recognizing Tiger Woods in his own category as a player who has reached an exceptional lifetime achievement threshold of 80+ career wins in order to maximize these spots for the membership and to provide the tournament sponsor optimal flexibility.”
The Policy Board also approved a proposal that will guarantee each Signature Event has a minimum of 72 players, so exemptions will be even more in demand the following year. This season, golfers who qualified to compete often reached this mark, but later withdrawals reduced some fields to 68–70 players. In 2025, this modification will also be put into effect.
