Garrick Higgo has reentered the chat.

During a breezy final round of the Corales Puntacana Championship, the 25-year-old lefty emerged with victory at 14-under 274. However, say that he lost it least, call it a war of attrition or simply cite, “Scoreboard,” because that’s all that actually matters, and it all plays during a wild finale in the Dominican Republic.

Consider that Higgo started Sunday in a three-shot deficit, scored 2 over on his last eight holes, signed for an even-par 72 and still won by one stroke, and the messages come into focus. Furthering sharpening the understanding is that Joel Dahmen, who led outright after each of the first three rounds, closed bogey-bogey-bogey for a 76 and finished among five at T2.

The outcome for Higgo is his second PGA TOUR victory, four years after his breakthrough. Since the South African prevailed at the Palmetto Championship at Congaree as a non-member in June of 2021, he lost his fully exempt status and had been using the Korn Ferry Tour as a side hustle this year. It’s been lucrative, too, but not like this.

Higgo’s win at the Corales Golf Course yields exemptions into next month’s PGA Championship and the 2026 editions of The Sentry and THE PLAYERS Championship. Of course, he’s also fully exempt again on the PGA TOUR, this time through 2027.

Additional Events do not award exemptions into the remaining Signature Events or the Masters, but he sits atop the Aon Swing 5 for entry into the Truist Championship in three weeks.

Not long after Higgo started wiping away tears of joy, Justin Thomas disposed of Andrew Novak in a playoff at the RBC Heritage. After the duo concluded regulation in 17-under 267 at Harbour Town Golf Links, they returned to the par-4 18th on which Thomas promptly connected for a long birdie to seal his 16th career PGA TOUR title. (Novak’s much longer birdie attempt didn’t drop.)

Thomas already was all set with exemptions into all of the tournaments that this page covers, but now he can make travel plans for Kapalua once again. He’s a two-time winner of The Sentry. His last PGA TOUR victory was the 2022 PGA Championship, so he’s exempt into that major for life. That also promises spots in the Masters through 2027 and the other two majors through 2026. As a result of Sunday’s win on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, his PGA TOUR membership exemption extends one season through 2028.

Turning attention to this week’s slate of competition, both golfers on the winning team of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans will punch tickets into the PGA Championship and The Sentry. Three more berths into the PGA Championship will be determined at the conclusion the DP World Tour’s Asian Swing at the Hainan Classic, while yet another three will earns exemptions via the next update of the International Federation Ranking.

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
PGA = PGA Championship
US = U.S. Open
OPEN = The Open Championship

Recent additions

SE -- none
PGA -- Garrick Higgo
US -- none
OPEN -- none

NOTE: Golfers are omitted if they recently haven’t competed 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

• Truist Championship (May 8-11)
• Memorial Tournament presented by Workday (May 29-June 1)
• Travelers Championship (June 19-22)

PGA Championship (PGA) at Quail Hollow Club: May 15-18

• Winners of PGA TOUR events through the final week before the 2025 PGA Championship.
• Top three from DP World Tour Asian Swing (April 27).
• Top three from International Federation Ranking List (April 28).
• Top 20 from PGA Professional Championship (April 30).
• Top 70 from special money list (i.e., "PGA Championship Points") on PGA TOUR from 2024 Charles Schwab Challenge thru the AT&T Byron Nelson (May 4).
• *All 2023 Ryder Cup members inside top 100 of Official World Golf Ranking (May 5).
• Special exemptions per PGA of America. (This likely will include all golfers from Top 100 of Official World Golf Ranking on May 5.)
• If necessary to complete the field of 156, golfers outside Top 70 from special money list (three lines above) will gain entry in order of position.

U.S. Open (US) at Oakmont Country Club: June 12-15

• Winners of multiple PGA TOUR events that award full FedExCup points allocation since the 2024 U.S. Open.
• Winner of the PGA Championship (May 18).
• Top five, not otherwise exempt, in the FedExCup at the conclusion of the PGA Championship (May 18).
• Top two, not otherwise exempt, in the 2024 Race to Dubai at the conclusion of the 2025 PGA Championship (May 18).
• Top player, not otherwise exempt, in the 2025 Race to Dubai (May 18).
• Top player, not otherwise exempt, in the Top 3 of the 2025 LIV Golf Individual Standings (May 19).
• Top 60 of Official World Golf Ranking (May 19).
• Final qualifying at one site in Japan (May 19).
• Final qualifying at one site in England (May 19).
• Final qualifying at one site in Texas (May 19).
• Winner of the NCAA Division 1 individual championship, if still an amateur (May 26).
• Final qualifying at one site in Canada. (June 2).
• Final qualifying at nine sites in the United States (June 2).
• Top 60 of Official World Golf Ranking (June 9).
• Special exemptions per the USGA.

The Open Championship (OPEN) at Royal Portrush: July 17-20

• Winner of the PGA Championship (May 18).
• Top player, not otherwise exempt, who makes the cut at the KOLON Korea Open (May 25).
• Top 50 of Official World Golf Ranking (May 26).
• Top five in the Federation Ranking (May 29).
• Top three, not otherwise exempt, who make the cut at the Mizuno Open (June 1).
• Top player, not otherwise exempt, who makes the cut at the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday (June 1).
• Top three, not otherwise exempt, who make the cut at the RBC Canadian Open (June 8).
• Winner of the U.S. Open (June 15).
• Winner of the British Amateur, if still an amateur (June 21).
• Top five, not otherwise exempt, inside the top 20 in the FedExCup at the conclusion of the Travelers Championship (June 22).
• Winner of the European Amateur Championship, if still an amateur (June 28).
• Leader in World Amateur Golf Ranking points accumulated at the St. Andrews Links Trophy (June 8), British Amateur (June 21) and European Amateur Championship, if still an amateur (June 28).
• Top two, not otherwise exempt, who make the cut at the Italian Open (June 29).
• Leader, not otherwise exempt, in the Top 5 of the LIV Golf Individual Season Standings (June 30).
• Final Qualifying. Top four at each of four sites: Burnham & Berrow, Dundonald Links, Royal Cinque Ports, West Lancashire (July 1).
• Top five, not otherwise exempt, inside the top 20 in the Race to Dubai at the conclusion of the BMW International Open (July 6).
• Top three, not otherwise exempt, who make the cut at the Genesis Scottish Open (July 13).