Eligibility
Open to all professionals aged 50 and over on the day of the Event Qualifier.
Any player meeting one of the criteria listed below is eligible to enter the Event Qualifier without having to play in the Pre-Qualifier:
- The top 30 players and anyone tied for 30th position from the 2025 PGA TOUR Champions Qualifying Tournament
- Tournament Winners on the PGA TOUR, PGA TOUR Champions and Korn Ferry Tour (Tournaments awarding official victory status and those players eligible via the Team Tournament Winner Category on the PGA TOUR)
- PGA TOUR, PGA TOUR Champions and Korn Ferry Tour Veteran Members (refer to Korn Ferry Tour Tournament Regulations)
- Those players finishing in 37th – 75th position on PGA TOUR Champions Official Points List from the 2024 season
- Players who have earned one million dollars ($1,000,000) or more on PGA TOUR Champions
- DP World Tour Past Champions and Legends Tour Past Champions whose victories were considered official
- Players who Pre-Qualify and Event Qualify for an official PGA TOUR Champions event in the same week, will be exempt from Pre-Qualifying for the remainder of that season. Additionally, any player who advances from the Pre-Qualifier into the Event Qualifier two times in the same season shall be exempt from Pre-Qualifiers for the remainder of that season.
- Any Event Qualifier competing in the immediately preceding cosponsored or approved event that would otherwise be required to compete in the Pre-Qualifier
Entry Fee Schedule by Status
2025 PGA TOUR Champions Member - $100
2025 PGATC Q-School Top 30 Finisher/KFT Veteran Member eligible for Event Qualifier or Event Qualifier Eligible PGA of America Member/Apprentice - $150
Non-Member Exempt to Event Qualifier - $200
Note: An additional $20.00 insurance fee is required from those players who are NOT members of the PGA of America.
WITHDRAWS AT ANY TIME - NO REFUNDS
ALL FEES AND DUES MUST ACCOMPANY ENTRY FORM AND ARE NON-REFUNDABLE.
Format
18-Hole Stroke Play Competition
Field Size
144 Players (Entries are first come, first serve)
Qualifying Positions
The low three (3) scorers from the Event Qualifier will gain entry into the Official Tournament in accordance with applicable PGA TOUR Champions policies and procedures. There will be no alternates from the Event Qualifier. A hole-by-hole playoff will commence immediately following play in the event of ties to determine the qualifying positions.
Practice Rounds
Practice Round Fees: Golf Fee - $106.50 inclusive of tax. Booking window – 30 days in advance. Contact TPC Sawgrass Golf Reservations at 904.273.3430 to schedule a starting time
Procedures & Information
Rules of Golf
Play shall be governed in accordance with the Rules of Golf of the United States Golf Association, as modified by the PGA TOUR Local Rules and Terms of the Competition card (Hard Card) and supplemented by the Notice to Competitors. Questions or disputes (including equipment rulings) shall be settled by the on-site Rules Committee appointed by the PGA TOUR, whose decision shall be final.
Distance Measuring Devices
Distance-Measuring Devices are permitted in the Event Qualifier. Rule 4.3a(1) applies
Guidance on Use of Cell Phones During Round
PGA TOUR Champions Tournament Regulations prohibit the use of cellular phones during competition
Groove Specifications
Groove and Punch Mark Specifications: During the Event Qualifier, Model Local Rule G-2 is in effect but the exception to G-2 does not apply. Event Qualifying contestants must use conforming equipment per the PGA TOUR Champions Local Rules and Terms of the Competition (Hard Card). The complete specifications for grooves in elite competitions along with a public database listing conformity of many clubs can be found at USGA.org (click on Equipment > Conforming Lists > Informational Club Database) or by contacting the USGA Equipment Standards Department at (908) 234-2300. Players should confirm that their equipment conforms to the specifications well in advance of the competition and should be aware that conforming equipment must be used in Event Qualifying, even if a player is successful in pre-qualifying with non-conforming grooves. If, before the competition, a player has doubt as to the conformity of a club, PGA Section officials will attempt to determine the status of the club(s), but play will not be delayed in doing so. There will be no on-site field testing for groove conformity at Event Qualifying. If the club (s) in question is not listed on the public database listing conformity of clubs, the club shall not be used in the competition. In the event that it is discovered that a player’s club(s) do not conform after the close of the competition, the provisions of Rule 20 of the Rules of Golf shall apply
Pace of Play
The PGA TOUR Pace of Play Policy will be in effect for the Open Qualifier, except the fine structure shall not apply. Sections will be required, under the guidance of the PGA TOUR Tournament Official, to create a Pace of Play Time Chart.
Golf Carts/Caddies/Pull Carts
Complimentary golf carts shall be available to players during practice rounds and on the day of the Event Qualifier unless conditions dictate otherwise as determined by the PGA TOUR Champions tournament official. Pull carts are permitted. Players are not required to have a caddie. Caddies are permitted to ride with their player and drive their player’s cart.
Appearance / Conduct
Players: While on the host facility property, players shall present a neat appearance in both clothing and grooming. Clothing worn by players shall be consistent with acceptable golf fashion. Blue jeans, cutoffs, T-shirts or shirts with no collar are considered inappropriate. Players are permitted to wear golf shorts which are knee-length, tailored and neat in appearance. Compression leggings worn underneath shorts must be solid in color.
Caddies: While on the host facility property, caddies may wear either long pants or tailored solid colored knee length shorts or skorts. Blue jeans, cutoffs and T-shirts or shirts with no collar shall not be worn. Smooth rubber sole shoes are required. Golf shoes with traditional metal or soft spikes are prohibited.
Players and Caddies shall conform to the host facility’s appearance policies while onsite during any practice round.
A player or caddie conducting himself in a manner unbecoming a professional could result in the removal from the competition and/or disciplinary action from PGA TOUR Champions. The conduct of his caddie is the responsibility of each player.
Conduct
While on host facility property during qualifying rounds; players and caddies shall conduct themselves in a professional manner. PGA TOUR reserves the right to remove a player from the qualifying competition for; non competitiveness; conduct unbecoming a professional by the player; conduct unbecoming a professional by the players’ caddie.
Reduction of Play
In order for entry into the tournament to be based on competition, all players in the starting field of the Event Qualifying competition shall complete at least nine or eighteen holes. In the occurrence of a nine hole event, or eighteen hole event where a playoff is required, where the field has started on one tee, the available Event Qualifying spots shall be determined by nine-hole scores, with ties for last available spot determined via on-course playoff. If conditions dictate that there can be no on-course playoff, any ties for last place will be determined by retrogression of the scorecards starting with the ninth or eighteenth and final hole and working backwards to the first hole, as necessary.
If the field starts on both the 1st and 10th holes and all players complete at least nine holes prior to the suspension of play, 1 player that started from the 1st tee (front nine) and 1 player from the 10th tee (back nine), determined by lowest nine hole scores on the respective nines, shall be the successful qualifiers. Ties for last available spot(s) determined via on-course playoff. If conditions dictate that there can be no on-course playoff, any ties for last place will be determined by retrogression of the scorecards starting with the ninth or eighteenth and final hole and working backwards, as necessary. Between January 1 - June 30: The 3rd and final position will be awarded to the highest ranking player from the Previous Year’s Charles Schwab Cup Points List. If the Event Qualifier falls between July 1 - November 30, the 3rd and final position will be awarded to the player with the highest ranking Charles Schwab Current Money.
NOTE: In the event that the entire starting field in an Event Qualifying competition is not able to complete nine holes and the competition cannot be continued on Tuesday as outlined above, the competition shall be considered canceled.
Cancellation of Play - Event Qualifier
If the competition must be canceled, the following procedure shall be followed: a) During all open, full-field events of the current year, the following priority order will be used to determine who will use the available Event Qualifier positions:
i. Between January 1 - June 30, the two (2) highest-ranking players available from the Previous Year’s Charles Schwab Cup Points List entered in Event Qualifying. Between July 1 – November 30, the two (2) highest ranking players available from the Charles Schwab Cup Current Money List.
ii. The top one (1) player entered in Event Qualifying with the largest number of combined official victories who was not selected amongst the first two players. If two or more players are tied in combined official victories, priority will be based on the All-Time Money List.
iii. If there are any remaining spots available, they will be provided to the highest finisher from the Previous Year’s Qualifying Tournament - Final Stage entered in the Event Qualifier. Any ties amongst this group for the last available spot will be determined by the last round score from the Qualifying Tournament, continuing to the third round, etc. until the priority order is determined.