Qualifiers for all 2026 Signature Events, THE PLAYERS and majors

UPDATE (June 1): Preston Stout of Oklahoma State University prevailed in the individual competition of the NCAA Division I Championship on Monday.

The junior posted 14-under 274 at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, California, for the title. It yields exemptions into the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in two weeks, as well as the 2027 Masters. He’s required to retain his amateur status to play in either via this conduit.

University of Alabama sophomore William Jennings checked up a stroke back. While he was competing as an individual in the 72-hole competition, Stout’s Cowboys advanced to the field of eight for match play to decide the national team champion. The defending champions are seeded fifth. The knockout rounds are scheduled to conclude on Wednesday.

The incumbent No. 1 in PGA TOUR University, Ben James of the University of Virginia, placed T16 in the individual competition. Because the only other senior within reach to usurp James as the 2026 valedictorian, Christiaan Maas of the University of Texas, finished T19, James has clinched the top spot. Maas needed at least a solo seventh to have a chance for the slingshot at the finish line.

Virginia did not advance to match play as a team. Once he turns professional, James will be eligible for PGA TOUR membership through 2027. After 2025 PGA TOUR University champ David Ford joined the play-for-pay ranks, he made 13 starts through the FedExCup Fall, qualified as a PGA TOUR rookie and finished 176th in the FedExCup.

Russell Henley is a nice guy, so don’t tell him that he had less to gain than his victim in a playoff at the Charles Schwab Challenge on Sunday, at least in the context of what matters on this page.

See, even before Henley roared from behind to force overtime and secure victory on the only hole in it at Colonial Country Club, he already was set for exemptions into every tournament in which he wanted to peg it. And at 12th in the Official World Golf Ranking upon arrival, his trajectory was going to continue to support his qualification even without a win.

With his sixth PGA TOUR title now in the books, he’s climbed to fifth in the OWGR. He was already exempt into all Signature Events and majors this season, but this win officially secured an exemption into the 2027 PGA Championship, again, even though he was on pace to qualify via no worse than his OWGR at a future checkpoint. (His last win at the 2025 Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard locked up a spot in THE PLAYERS Championship through 2027, and his T3 at this year’s Masters punched his ticket into next year’s edition.) His PGA TOUR membership exemption as a winner also is extended through his age-40 season of 2029.

Cole hasn’t appeared in a major since the 2025 U.S. Open, and he isn’t eligible for any of the aforementioned events. That said, he gained entry into this week’s the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday via the Aon Swing 5, but he’d still have to qualify for the Travelers Championship that completes the series of Signature Events.

Earlier in the day, the Mizuno Open determined three entrants for The Open Championship as it was the Japan Golf Tour’s stop in the Open Qualifying Series.

With a 72-hole aggregate of 24-under 264, Shaun Norris prevailed by five shots at JFE Setonaikai Golf Club. It’s his ninth victory on the circuit. The 44-year-old South African is 2-for-6 in The Open but without a top-60 finish. Ryutaro Nagano and Ren Yonezawa snared the other two berths as the only golfers at T2. Only Nagano (MC, 2021) has appeared in The Open previously.

This page will be updated midweek after the individual competition at the NCAA Division I championship concludes. That is scheduled for Monday. With one round remaining, Preston Stout of Oklahoma State University holds a one-stroke lead over a trio in pursuit. Another pair is two shots back. The winner will receive exemptions into the 2026 U.S. Open and 2027 Masters, but he must remain an amateur to play in both via the provision.

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 -- none
US -- Preston Stout
OPEN -- Ryutaro Nagano; Shaun Norris; Ren Yonezawa

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.
• 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

• 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).