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Greetings ....

For those of you not yet aware - The PGA Tour exemption category regarding members on the most recent Ryder Cup (USA and Europe) and Presidents Cup (USA and International) teams is being phased out.

Here's the article by Doug Ferguson.

I noted this quote from Jim Furyk --
"I think it's more important to win a golf tournament for a two-year exemption than it is to make one of those teams to get the exemption, or even theoretically be a captain's pick."

Interesting - I have had no trouble with the Ryder Cup/Presidents Cup exemption, except for the placement of the Euros/Internationals' ranking on the PGA Tour All-Exempt Priority Rankings.

If it was up to me, I'd place the non-USA Ryder-Presidents group (non-members and Special Temps) just behind the Regular Top 125 Money Winners (Category-20) and ahead of the Non-Member Top 125 Equivilancy Category-21. Any non-USA "Cup" participant who was already exempt by other means would simply be listed as per the specific exemption.

If indeed the Non-USA Ryder-Presidents Group had been so ranked, would there have been that much complaining about Trevor Immelman's captain's pick selection to the 2005 Presidents Cup International Team??

In-so-far-as the likes of Paul Azinger, Chris Riley and Jay Haas making teams and then not playing well after - I find that to be not much different than a Mark Brooks winning the PGA (10-yr exemption) or a Craig Perks winning the Players (5-yr exemption) or a Kevin Sutherland winning the Accenture Match Play (3-yr exemption) or the likes of those such as Spike McRoy, Jim Carter, Tommy Armour III, Phil Tataurangi, Bob Burns, David Gossett, Glen Day or Matt Kuchar (among a host of others) winning a regular PGA Tour event (2-yr exemption).

Players like those manage to slip thru the cracks into the Special Exemptions Group every now and then - no matter the means by which they did it. So what's to complain if one or two of the like occasionally happen to make a Ryder or Presidents Cup team?

As for Trevor Immelman - even if he had not been named to the Presidents Cup team, he would have still been exempt for 2006 courtesy of Category-21 (Non-Member Top 125 Equivilancy). And thanks to his 2nd place finish at last week's Wachovia Classic, he has earned more than enough to be good for 2007.

Hmmm! Makes Presidents Cup Captain Gary Player look like a genius, eh?

Thanx-A-Lot, Frank-0-Sport

I think that the guys who make those teams are good enough anyway to be able to keep their card on the PGA Tour, even the likes of Nick O' Hern who predominantly plays over here in Europe

I could see the exemptions for people who qualified for the team, but not captain's picks (Azinger in 2002). He benefitted in 2004 from being a captain's pick instead of using the career money exemption. He may not have been able to use that exemption this year had it not been for the Ryder Cup exemption. Chris Riley is benefitting this year from the Ryder Cup exemption.

I am glad that the PGA the foresight to eliminate this exemption from the American players as well as the non-Americans.

As long as prima donnas like Phil and Tiger aren't the exceptions to the rule.

Greetings ...

Thanks to all who have replied so far. Much Appreciated

Now -- before reading any further in this reply, I recommend that all of you first go back and carefully re-read my first post in this particular thread. Then come back down here.

Frank-0-Sport's Response - Part One
Just because there has been a Ryder Cup-Presidents Cup exemption available for non-member Europeans or International players doesn't mean they get it unconditionally. First, they must be at least a Special Temporary Member prior to the official naming of the entire team, and that's on the condition that the player applies for Special Temporary status. And then they have to make a commitment to play the PGA Tour as a full-time member for the following season.

Colin Montgomerie, a 2004 European Ryder Cup Member, passed up the opportunity to take advantage of the exemption for 2006, for which he was eligible to do. That's why you do not see his name on the PGA Tour's Exemption List.

Lee Westwood, also on the 2004 Euro team, was eligible to accept the exemption for 2005, but passed up the chance. In 2006, Westwood has only conditional PGA Tour status, rather than unconditional status.

My suggestion regarding the placement of Non-USA Ryder-Presidents Cup participants below the Top 125 would have applied ONLY to those non-USA players with no more than Special Temporary status, and on the condition that they agree to a full-time membership on the PGA Tour. Any other non-USA Ryder-Presidents participant who was already exempt by any other means would simply be listed under the appropriate Exemption Category.

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Frank-0-Sport's Response - Part Two
If it were up to me RE Ryder Cup-Presidents Cup exemptions, I would impose these conditions ...

For USA Ryder-Presidents Members
(1) Exemption would remain in current position (#10) on PGA Tour Priority Rankings List

(2) First year following team participation would be unconditional

(3) 2nd year permitted ONLY IF at end of 1st year, player is among the Top 150 Money Leaders -AND- has posted at least 60 competitive rounds (a little tougher than just having 15 starts)

Had this been in place at the time of the 2004 Ryder Cup, Chris Riley would NOT have been exempt for 2006 (he is in actuality) because he finished outside the Top 150 on the 2005 Money List.

For Non-Member Euros on Ryder, Internationals on Presidents
(1) Exemption would be placed between #20 and #21 on PGA Tour Priority Rankings List

(2) Europeans, Internationals who are regular PGA Tour members with higher exempt status would not be listed here.

(3) Before the team is named, player must be a Special Temporary Member.

(4) Player agrees to PGA Tour Membership, and is listed here for 1st year.

(5) If at end of 1st year, player has not achieved a higher exempt status, then he can be re-listed here again ONLY IF he is among the Top 150 Money Leaders -AND- has posted at least 60 competitive rounds -AND- has agreed to another year of PGA Tour membership.

Thanx-A-Lot, Frank-0-Sport