Qualifiers for all 2026 Signature Events, THE PLAYERS and majors

If you’re a loyal reader of this page, then there are moments when even you are surprised to learn that a recent major champion who has scaled well inside the top 10 of the Official World Golf Ranking wasn’t already exempt into all Signature Events. Of course, it makes sense once you examine why, but it’s still odd how it feels that time between then and now has elapsed so quickly.

Wyndham Clark is approaching the third anniversary of his victory at the U.S. Open. It was the highlight of a massive 2022-23 season. He followed with another seriously strong campaign in 2024 during which he reached a career-best No. 3 in the OWGR. Alas, he finished outside the top 50 in the FedExCup in 2025 and failed to qualify automatically for all Signature Events this year.

Clark wriggled into three of the first six Signature Events, but now he’s guaranteed to be in the last two by virtue of his three-stroke victory at THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson on Sunday. It’s his fourth career PGA TOUR title. His come-from-behind win was underscored by vintage putting that had escaped him for far too long and punctuated by a bogey-free, 11-under 60 in the finale. After drifting to 75th in the OWGR, he’s now 44th.

Why it can seem weird in this context that he wasn’t already in the Signature Events is because his U.S. Open title secured starts in the next five editions of the other three majors at the time. So, he’s been exempt into The Open Championship through 2027, the Masters and the PGA Championship through 2028. He’s also set for an exemption at the U.S. Open through 2033 and THE PLAYERS Championship through 2028. Additionally, his PGA TOUR membership exemption is extended one season to his age-36 season of 2030.

Clark’s accomplishment was but one of numerous storylines feeding into this week’s update to this page.

First, in what was the latest stop of The Open Qualifying Series, Jiho Yang prevailed by four strokes at the KOLON Korea Open at Woo Jeong Hills Country Club to secure a berth into The Open Championship. The 41-year-old from South Korea has never appeared in a PGA TOUR event.

Once all of the action around the world concluded over the weekend, the top 50 in the OWGR punched tickets to join Yang at Royal Birkdale in July. Among them, 11 hadn’t previously qualified via another conduit. The cohort ranges from Patrick Reed at No. 23 through Matt McCarty at No. 49.

The top five in the latest Federation Ranking also were reserved tee times at The Open. The No. 1, Casey Jarvis, already is exempt, but the other four were not until now. In order, Travis Smyth of Australia, Kazuki Higa and Kota Kaneko of Japan, and Scott Vincent of Zimbabwe round out the grouping. Jarvis and Kaneko will be making their tournament debuts, while the other three are a combined 0-for-4 in the major.

Lastly, the USGA conducted final qualifying for the U.S. Open on Monday, May 25, in Japan, from which three of the 38 in the field were promised spots in the next major. With a 36-hole score of 12-under 128, Ryuichi Oiwa medaled on the King Course at Hino Golf Club. Kaito Onishi was the runner-up one stroke back, while Taihei Sato snared the third spot via a two-way playoff. All three qualifiers hail from Japan and none has ever appeared in a major.

The parade of pathways into the last two majors continues this week. Scroll or swipe below the alphabetical list of all qualifiers for the details.

NOTE: Until all methods of entry are released by the governing bodies, traditional criteria are used to determine qualifiers. Refer to remaining qualifying criteria at the bottom of the page for details.

SE = All Signature Events
US = U.S. Open
OPEN = The Open Championship

Recent additions

SE -- Wyndham Clark
US -- Ryuichi Oiwa; Kaito Onishi; Taihei Sato
OPEN -- Jason Day; Rickie Fowler; Ryan Gerard; Kazuki Higa; Kota Kaneko; Michael Kim; Kurt Kitayama; Jake Knapp; Min Woo Lee; Matt McCarty; Patrick Reed; Alex Smalley; Travis Smyth; Scott Vincent; Gary Woodland; Jiho Yang

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).

REMAINING QUALIFYING CRITERIA

Criteria are listed in chronological order where possible. Best estimates are given but all are subject to change.

Signature Events

• the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday (June 4-7)
• Travelers Championship (June 25-28)

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 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

• Top 3, not otherwise exempt, who make the cut at the Mizuno Open (May 31).
• Leader, not otherwise exempt, in the LIV Golf Individual Standings at the conclusion of LIV Golf Andalucía (June 7).
• Top player, not otherwise exempt, who makes the cut at the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday (June 7).
• Top 3, 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 5, not otherwise exempt, inside the top 20 in the FedExCup at the conclusion of the Travelers Championship (June 28).
• Final Qualifying. Top 4 at each of four sites (June 30).
• Top 5, not otherwise exempt, inside the top 20 in the Race to Dubai at the conclusion of the BMW International Open (July 5).
• Top 3, not otherwise exempt, who make the cut at the Genesis Scottish Open (July 12).
• Winner of the Last-Chance Qualifier (July 13).