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Greetings ...

Some people may be wondering how multiple win seasons work on the PGA Tour. Specificly, folks want to know if bonus years of exemptions are awarded for multiple wins. The answer is - YES! But only under certain conditions, and with certain limitations.

First, so you'll know what categories I'm referring to, here's the PGA Tour's 2005 Exemption Category web-page

The bonus years of exempt status feature works ONLY in Category-9 --

"Winners of PGA TOUR co-sponsored 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"

A Regular Tour event carries with it two years of exempt status. If you win two such events in the same calendar year, you get a third year of exempt status. Win a third event - same year - you get a fourth year. Win a fourth event - same year - and you the max of five years exempt status.

There's a quirk here -- The 3 non-team World Golf Championships as well as the Tour Championship count as regular events, even though these events each carry a 3-year exemption. For example, in a given year you might win the NEC Invitational, Hartford Open and Heritage Classic. Or you might win the Accenture Match Play, John Deere Classic and Tour Championship. Both scenarios are treated as 3-events won in a single calendar year and that's a 4-year exemption.

If the Tour Championship or a non-team World Golf Championship is part of your multi-win season, you'll be listed for the first three years afterward as the winner of the specific event, then listed under Category-9 for the remaining year(s).

Winning a Grand Slam Major, Players Championship or The Leading Money Winner title - each carrying a 5-year exemption - takes precedent over anything else you do in a given year. For example --

Phil Mickelson in 2005 has a Major, the PGA Championship, plus 3 regular event wins to date. However, his exempt status will simply read as "Winner, 2005 PGA Championship (thru 2010)" - He doesn't get any bonus years for the regular event wins.

Same for Tiger Woods, who has won so far in 2005 a pair of Majors (Masters, British Open) plus 2 regular events. Like Phil, his exempt status will run only up to 2010 as the 05 Masters champ. Again, like Phil, no bonus exemptions for his other 2005 achievements.

Of course, Both Tiger and Phil (and Vijay Singh as well) have each won at least 20 official events and will have 15 years of full-time PGA Tour participation under their belts within the next few years. So, if they (perish the thought) should never win again, they should each have Category-19 (Life Members) in their pockets.

One person who might wish he had a bonus year of exempt status is Mark O'Meara. Back in 1997, a proposal he strongly backed did away with the awarding of 10-year exemptions (Grand Slam Majors, Players Championship, World Series of Golf), effective with the 1998 season.

In 1998, Mark had his career year, winning both the Masters and British Open. He became exempt for five years thru 2003, on the basis of his Masters win, the British Open not counting toward any bonus years. In 2004, O'Meara had no full exempt status and was forced to use the One-Time Top 50 Career Earnings Exemption (Category 11-a). In 2005, he has played under a Major Medical Extension (Category 22).

Had the PGA Tour Policy Board members thought of it back in 1997, they could have ruled that winning two Grand Slam Majors in one calendar year be worth a six-year exemption; three majors, seven years; All 4 (GRAND SLAM), 10 years.

And had the board done that, Mark O'Meara would have then had a six-year exemption thru 2004, played 2005 under the Major Medical category-22, and if he needed it to play in 2006 (which he would have had, but in actual fact doesn't), the Top-50 Career Earnings Exemption.

Well, that's not the case, Mark! OUCH!

Thanx-A-Lot, Frank-0-Sport

Yes, he could. You are also assuming that in year 14, Tiger drops out of the Top 125 in PGA TOUR Earnings.

Greetings ...

Tiger Woods' exempt status history as a pro --

1996
8/28-9/1, Milwaukee (sponsor invite - finished T-60)
9/5-8, Canadian (sponsor invite - finished 11th)
9/12-15, Quad City (sponsor invite - finished T-5)
9/19-22, BC Open (Top 10 Finish previous week - finished T-3)
9/26-29, Buick Challenge -- eligible as a Top 10 finisher, but skipped event
10/2-6, Las Vegas (sponsor invite - Won event in playoff over Davis Love III)

Exempt for rest of 1996 as a current year event winner. Won 96 Disney event, and finished 1996 as a 2-event winner (exempt thru 1999)

1997
1996 2-event Winner exempt status up to the Masters, which Tiger won by 12 shots with record 18-under-270. Now, Tiger is exempt for 10 years thru 2007. Meanwhile, Tiger's Isleworth neighbor Mark O'Meara urges PGA Tour Policy Board to reduce Major Exemptions awarded from 10 years to 5 years, effective 1998.

1998 to 2005
Tiger's media guide bio lists him as "1997 Masters Champion (thru 2007)". Beginning with the 2000 guide (review of 1999), the All-Exempt Priority Ranking pages place him among "winners of the US Open or PGA Championship prior to 1970 or within last 10 calendar years. Beginning 1998, this is a five-year exemption." Among Tiger's Major wins during this period - 1999 and 2000 PGA, 2000 and 2002 US Open.

2006 to 2010
Tiger's 1997 Masters exemption and 2002 US Open exemption both expire end of 2007. Assuming (HORRORS!) that he never wins again, the 2005 Masters exemption kicks in from 2008 thru end of 2010.

2011 and beyond
Who knows? But we do expect that Mr. E.T. Woods will likely be exempt by some means for 2011, his 15th full time year on Tour. Once 2011 is done, then his Life Member exemption becomes official.

Thanx-A-Lot, Frank-0-Sport

Frank-O-Sport alot of research and work went into your posts and we appreciate your effort, Thank you.

That was excellent work Frank-O-Sport....can't be too much more thorough than that...thanks!!

Greetings ...

Gosh! (blush!) Shucks, Folks - I'm speechless!

Thanx-A-Lot, Frank-0-Sport

Let me ask Frank does Parnevick have any way of staying on tour if he finishes outside top 125 this year?

Jesper can go through q-school and earn his card that way.

If Jesper finishes 126-150, then he is under category 28, which is conditional if he deosn't try for q-school or fails q-school. In this category, he is entitiled to unlimited exempions.

If Jesper finishes worse than 150th, then he has past champions status (maximum of 9 sponsor's exemptions)

It is ironic that three players fall under category 28, but they don't get rewarded this year for their performance (Olazabal, Atwal, and Richard Johnson). All of them made the PGA, and Atwal made Colonail and Memorial. However, he and Richard Johnson are still at the bottom of the category 28 list. It is a shame that the following no-name category 28 players (Bob Burns, Brendan Pappas, and Danny Ellis) still rank ahead of Atwal and Johnson in regular events due to last year's performance though this year is more than halfway complete. The other non-exempt categories (q-school and Nationwide graduates do reshuffles as well as past champions). Why not category 28?

Greetings ...

Thanks to Golf Fanatic for supplying much of the answers RE Jesper Parnevik's 2006 status

There's another way for Jesper to go, if he so chooses -- The Top 50 Career Earnings Exemption, as he #40 on the Career Official Money List (as of 8-22-05)

RE Golf Fanatic's question regarding Category-28--

I was under the impression that there were re-shuffles for Category-28 players. Maybe the PGA Tour Exemption Category page just doesn't take that into account.

The performances of players like Olazabal, Atwal and Johnson are proof enough that a current year Top 125 Equivalancy Performance Category is sorely needed. Such a category, placed somewhere within Categories 21 to 23, would recognize the Top 3 (or 5) Official Money Earners in all categories below it. Here's an example --

1. Ron Turnakey $1,433,456 (previous year's Q-School)
2. Nick SkullKnock $909,074 (previous year's 126-150 Money Leaders)
3. Paul Roadhog $709,547 (previous year's Nationwide Top 20)

Thanx-A-Lot, Frank-0-Sport

Come to think of it, you are correct about Jesper. I didn't think of his career money performance.

I think the lack of reshuffle in categroy 28 is one of the things that needs to be addressed in the PGA. I've been trying to say this before, but I haven't communicated it well enough until today.