Qualifiers for all 2026 Signature Events, THE PLAYERS and majors
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Highlights | Round 4 | Texas Children's Houston Open
Written by Rob Bolton
In all fairness and respect to all PGA TOUR winners, not all victories impart an impact like Gary Woodland’s at the Texas Children’s Houston Open on Sunday.
Woodland already has experienced a career that’s yielded fulfillment for the athlete in him, but as he expressed in his interview on Golf Channel the week of THE PLAYERS Championship, he still loves what he gets to do for a living. The hard part is retaining the kind of status on which he can rely to continue to hit and find the little white ball, but that pales in comparison to his greater challenge.
The hardest part is that he’s battling PTSD connected to his brain surgery in 2023. All maladies are indiscriminate and do not care what anyone wants to do, so for him to rise up at all, much less just two weeks after opening up about his struggle, goes beyond how a world-class wordsmith could recap how he achieved at Memorial Park Golf Course.
Sticking only with the X’s and O’s in Houston, Woodland’s master class yielded a course record, 21-under 259. That was five strokes better than runner-up Nicolai Højgaard. Fittingly, the win exempts Woodland into the Masters for the 13th time.
Woodland will see Højgaard at Augusta National Golf Club in two weeks because the Dane was among four qualifiers via the latest Official World Golf Ranking. At 36th, he’s best among the quartet at the last checkpoint for entry into the first major of the year. This will mark his third consecutive start since his debut in 2024.
Daniel Berger (38th) will be in his seventh appearance, while both Jake Knapp (42nd) and Matt McCarty (46th) are back for their second.
With a bit of unintentional generosity, Woodland climbed to 51st in the OWGR with his fifth PGA TOUR title, so he didn’t “take” a spot from another inside the bubble. At 52nd, Pierceson Coody finished as the highest not yet exempt into the major. Michael Thorbjornsen (54th) is the next on the outside looking in. They are among the cohort for which only a victory at this week’s Valero Texas Open will produce a tee time in Georgia.
Woodland’s litany of exemptions will continue at the RBC Heritage, the week after the Masters, and for all remaining Signature Events this season. He’s also now exempt into the PGA Championship in May.
SE = All Signature Events
MAS = Masters
PGA = PGA Championship
US = U.S. Open
OPEN = The Open Championship
Recent additions
SE -- Gary Woodland
MAS -- Daniel Berger; Nicolai Højgaard; Jake Knapp; Matt McCarty; Gary Woodland
PGA -- Gary Woodland
US -- none
OPEN -- none
NOTE: Golfers are omitted if they haven’t competed recently in majors for which they are eligible (e.g., The Open Championship = David Duval, Paul Lawrie).
| Golfer | Qualified |
| Angel Ayora | OPEN |
| Ludvig Åberg | SE, MAS, PGA, US, OPEN |
| Rich Beem | PGA |
| Daniel Berger | SE, MAS, OPEN |
| Akshay Bhatia | SE, MAS, PGA, US, OPEN |
| Keegan Bradley | SE, MAS, PGA, US, OPEN |
| Michael Brennan | MAS, PGA |
| Jacob Bridgeman | SE, MAS, PGA, US, OPEN |
| Daniel Brown | OPEN |
| Jack Buchanan | OPEN (must remain an amateur to compete) |
| Sam Burns | SE, MAS, PGA, US, OPEN |
| Ángel Cabrera | MAS, PGA |
| Brian Campbell | SE, MAS, PGA |
| Laurie Canter | OPEN |
| Patrick Cantlay | SE, MAS, PGA, US, OPEN |
| Ricky Castillo | PGA |
| Bud Cauley | SE |
| Stewart Cink | OPEN |
| Wyndham Clark | MAS, PGA, US, OPEN |
| Darren Clarke | OPEN |
| Hamilton Coleman | US (must remain an amateur to compete) |
| Corey Conners | SE, MAS, US, OPEN |
| Fred Couples | MAS |
| Martin Couvra | OPEN |
| John Daly | PGA, OPEN |
| Jason Day | SE, MAS, PGA |
| Bryson DeChambeau | MAS, PGA, US, OPEN |
| Alistair Docherty | OPEN |
| Jason Dufner | PGA |
| Nico Echavarria | SE, MAS, PGA |
| Ernie Els | OPEN |
| Harris English | SE, MAS, PGA, US, OPEN |
| Ethan Fang | MAS, US (must remain an amateur to compete in both) |
| Steven Fisk | PGA |
| Matt Fitzpatrick | SE, MAS, PGA, US, OPEN |
| Tommy Fleetwood | SE, MAS, PGA, US, OPEN |
| Rickie Fowler | SE |
| Ryan Fox | SE, MAS, PGA, OPEN |
| Sergio Garcia | MAS |
| Ryan Gerard | SE, MAS, PGA |
| Lucas Glover | SE |
| Chris Gotterup | SE, MAS, PGA, US, OPEN |
| Max Greyserman | MAS |
| Ben Griffin | SE, MAS, PGA, US, OPEN |
| Harry Hall | SE, MAS, US, OPEN |
| Brian Harman | SE, MAS, PGA, US, OPEN |
| Padraig Harrington | PGA, US, OPEN |
| Tyrrell Hatton | MAS, PGA, US, OPEN |
| Russell Henley | SE, MAS, PGA, US, OPEN |
| Lucas Herbert | OPEN |
| Jackson Herrington | MAS, US (must remain an amateur to compete in both) |
| Joe Highsmith | PGA |
| Daniel Hillier | OPEN |
| Tom Hoge | SE |
| Nicolai Højgaard | MAS, OPEN |
| Rasmus Højgaard | MAS, PGA, OPEN |
| Michael Hollick | OPEN |
| Brandon Holtz | MAS, US (must remain an amateur to compete in both) |
| Max Homa | MAS |
| Billy Horschel | OPEN |
| Viktor Hovland | SE, MAS, PGA, US, OPEN |
| Mason Howell | MAS, US, OPEN (must remain an amateur to compete in the Masters and The Open Championship) |
| Sungjae Im | SE, MAS, US, OPEN |
| Casey Jarvis | MAS, OPEN |
| Dustin Johnson | MAS, US |
| Zach Johnson | MAS, OPEN |
| Naoyuki Kataoka | MAS, OPEN |
| Martin Kaymer | PGA |
| Johnny Keefer | MAS, US |
| Michael Kim | SE, MAS |
| Si Woo Kim | SE, MAS, PGA, OPEN |
| Kurt Kitayama | SE, MAS, PGA |
| Jake Knapp | MAS |
| Brooks Koepka | MAS, PGA, US, OPEN |
| Jackson Koivun | US, OPEN (must remain an amateur to compete in both) |
| Frederic LaCroix | OPEN |
| Joakim Lagergren | OPEN |
| Fifa Laopakdee | MAS, OPEN (must remain an amateur to compete in both) |
| Francesco Laporta | OPEN |
| Min Woo Lee | MAS |
| Justin Leonard | OPEN |
| Haotong Li | MAS, OPEN |
| Shane Lowry | SE, MAS, PGA, US, OPEN |
| Robert MacIntyre | SE, MAS, PGA, US, OPEN |
| Hideki Matsuyama | SE, MAS, US, OPEN |
| Denny McCarthy | SE, PGA |
| Matt McCarty | MAS |
| Rory McIlroy | SE, MAS, PGA, US, OPEN |
| Tom McKibbin | MAS, OPEN |
| Maverick McNealy | SE, MAS, US, OPEN |
| Shaun Micheel | PGA |
| Phil Mickelson | MAS, PGA, OPEN |
| Francesco Molinari | OPEN |
| Collin Morikawa | SE, MAS, PGA, US, OPEN |
| William Mouw | PGA |
| Keita Nakajima | OPEN |
| Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen | MAS, OPEN |
| Joaquin Niemann | PGA |
| Alex Noren | MAS, US, OPEN |
| Andrew Novak | SE, MAS, US, OPEN |
| José Maria Olazábal | MAS |
| Louis Oosthuizen | OPEN |
| Carlos Ortiz | MAS, US |
| John Parry | OPEN |
| Taylor Pendrith | SE, PGA |
| Marco Penge | MAS, OPEN |
| J.T. Poston | SE, PGA |
| Aldrich Potgieter | MAS, PGA |
| Mateo Pulcini | MAS, US, OPEN (must remain an amateur to compete in all) |
| Jon Rahm | MAS, PGA, US, OPEN |
| Aaron Rai | MAS, OPEN |
| Patrick Reed | MAS |
| Kristoffer Reitan | MAS, OPEN |
| Davis Riley | MAS, PGA |
| Justin Rose | SE, MAS, PGA, US, OPEN |
| Adrien Saddier | OPEN |
| Xander Schauffele | SE, MAS, PGA, US, OPEN |
| Scottie Scheffler | SE, MAS, PGA, US, OPEN |
| Adam Schenk | PGA |
| Charl Schwartzel | MAS |
| Adam Scott | MAS, OPEN |
| Vijay Singh | MAS |
| Cameron Smith | MAS, PGA, US, OPEN |
| Jordan Smith | OPEN |
| Elvis Smylie | OPEN |
| J.J. Spaun | SE, MAS, PGA, US, OPEN |
| Jordan Spieth | MAS, OPEN |
| Henrik Stenson | OPEN |
| Sam Stevens | SE, MAS |
| Sepp Straka | SE, MAS, PGA, US, OPEN |
| Nick Taylor | SE, MAS, US, OPEN |
| Justin Thomas | SE, MAS, PGA, US, OPEN |
| Sami Valimaki | MAS, PGA |
| Jhonattan Vegas | SE, PGA |
| Jimmy Walker | PGA |
| Bubba Watson | MAS |
| Mike Weir | MAS |
| Danny Willett | MAS |
| Gary Woodland | SE, MAS, PGA, US |
| Tiger Woods | MAS, PGA, OPEN |
| Y.E. Yang | PGA |
| Cameron Young | SE, MAS, PGA, US, OPEN |
REMAINING QUALIFYING CRITERIA
Criteria are listed in chronological order where possible. Best estimates are given but all are subject to change.
Signature Events
- RBC Heritage (April 16-19)
- Cadillac Championship (April 30-May 3)
- Truist Championship (May 7-10)
- Memorial Tournament presented by Workday (June 4-7)
- Travelers Championship (June 25-28)
Masters (MAS) at Augusta National Golf Club – April 9-12
- Winners of PGA TOUR events that award full FedExCup points allocation for the TOUR Championship.
- Special invitations to international players per Masters Tournament Committee as its discretion.
PGA Championship (PGA) at Aronimink Golf Club – May 14-17
- Winners of PGA TOUR events through the final week before the 2026 PGA Championship.
- Winner of the Senior PGA Championship (April 19).
- Top three from International Federation Ranking List (April 27).
- Top 20 from PGA Professional Championship (April 29).
- Top three from Asian Swing ranking on the DP World Tour (May 3).
- Top 70 from special money list (i.e., "PGA Championship Points") on PGA TOUR from 2025 Truist Championship and 2025 ONEflight Myrtle Beach Classic thru the Cadillac Championship (May 3).
- Special exemptions per PGA of America. (This likely will include all golfers from top 100 of Official World Golf Ranking on May 4.)
- If necessary to complete the field of 156, golfers outside Top 70 from special money list (two lines above) will gain entry in order of position.
U.S. Open (US) at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club – June 18-21
- Winners of multiple PGA TOUR events that award full FedExCup points allocation since the 2025 U.S. Open.
- Winner of the Masters (April 12).
- Winner of the PGA Championship (May 17).
- Top five, not otherwise exempt, in the FedExCup at the conclusion of the PGA Championship (May 17).
- Top two, not otherwise exempt, in the 2025 Race to Dubai at the conclusion of the PGA Championship (May 17).
- Top player, not otherwise exempt, in the 2026 Race to Dubai (May 17).
- Leader, not otherwise exempt, in the Top 3 of the 2025 LIV Golf Individual Standings (May 18).
- Leader, not otherwise exempt, in the Top 3 of the 2026 LIV Golf Individual Standings (May 18).
- Top 60 of Official World Golf Ranking (May 18).
- Final qualifying at one site in England (May 18).
- Final qualifying at one site in Texas (May 18).
- Final qualifying at one site in Japan (May 25).
- Winner of the NCAA Division 1 individual championship, if still an amateur (June 1).
- Final qualifying at one site in Canada (June 8).
- Final qualifying at nine sites in the United States (June 8).
- Top 60 of Official World Golf Ranking (June 15).
- Special exemptions per the USGA.
The Open Championship (OPEN) at Royal Birkdale Golf Club – July 16-19
- Winner of the Masters (April 12).
- Top two, not otherwise exempt, who make the cut at the Singapore Open (April 26).
- Winner of the PGA Championship (May 17).
- Top player, not otherwise exempt, who makes the cut at the KOLON Korea Open (May 24).
- Top 50 of Official World Golf Ranking (May 25).
- Top 5 in the Federation Ranking (May 25).
- Top three, not otherwise exempt, who make the cut at the Mizuno Open (May 31).
- Top player, not otherwise exempt, who makes the cut at the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday (June 7).
- Top three, not otherwise exempt, who make the cut at the RBC Canadian Open (June 14).
- Winner of the British Amateur, if still an amateur (June 20).
- Winner of the U.S. Open (June 21).
- Winner of the European Amateur Championship, if still an amateur (June 27).
- Leader in World Amateur Golf Ranking points accumulated at the St. Andrews Links Trophy (June 7), British Amateur (June 20) and European Amateur Championship, if still an amateur (June 27).
- Top player, not otherwise exempt, who make the cut at the Italian Open (June 28).
- Top five, not otherwise exempt, inside the top 20 in the FedExCup at the conclusion of the Travelers Championship (June 28).
- Leader, not otherwise exempt, in the LIV Golf Individual Standings at the conclusion of LIV Golf Louisiana (June 28).
- Final Qualifying. Top 4 at each of four sites (June 30).
- Top five, not otherwise exempt, inside the top 20 in the Race to Dubai at the conclusion of the BMW International Open (July 5).
- Top three, not otherwise exempt, who make the cut at the Genesis Scottish Open (July 12).
- Winner of the Last-Chance Qualifier (July 13).
