With a one-stroke victory at the Masters Tournament on Sunday, Rory McIlroy successfully defended his title at Augusta National Golf Club.

While it’s a phenomenal achievement to piggyback last year’s completion of the career Grand Slam at the same major, it has zero impact on this page. Still, some housekeeping is necessary before other relevant details are necessary to relay.

As the champion of the 90th edition of the Masters, McIlroy now is a 30-time PGA TOUR winner. It’s also his sixth career major title and he’s halfway to a second career Grand Slam. (He’s also won a pair of PGA Championships.) He’s already exempt into all Signature Events and majors this season. He’s also exempt into the Masters and PGA Championship for life, and The Open Championship through his age-60 season of 2049, but Sunday’s victory extends his eligibility at the U.S. Open another year to 2030. His PGA TOUR membership exemption extends through 2031 when he will turn 42 years of age.

The immediate reflection of the outcome of the Masters on this page is it no longer appears. However, when it turns over following the completion of the FedExCup Playoffs this season, the top 12 and ties from it will return as exempt into the 2027 edition. That’s a traditional conduit for entry into the major. This year, 17 golfers finished inside the bubble, although several already had earned an exemption via another pathway.

Next up is the PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club in Pennsylvania on May 14-17. The winner of this week’s Senior PGA Championship will gain entry. So will the winner of the RBC Heritage, the fourth Signature Event of the 2026 PGA TOUR season.

SE = All Signature Events
PGA = PGA Championship
US = U.S. Open
OPEN = The Open Championship

Recent additions

SE -- none
PGA -- none
US -- none
OPEN -- none

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

• RBC Heritage (April 16-19)
• Cadillac Championship (April 30-May 3)
• Truist Championship (May 7-10)
• Memorial Tournament presented by Workday (June 4-7)
• Travelers Championship (June 25-28)

PGA Championship (PGA) at Aronimink Golf Club – May 14-17

• Winners of PGA TOUR events through the final week before the 2026 PGA Championship.
• Winner of the Senior PGA Championship (April 19).
• Top three from International Federation Ranking List (April 27).
• Top 20 from PGA Professional Championship (April 29).
• Top three from Asian Swing ranking on the DP World Tour (May 3).
• Top 70 from special money list (i.e., "PGA Championship Points") on PGA TOUR from 2025 Truist Championship and 2025 ONEflight Myrtle Beach Classic thru the Cadillac Championship (May 3).
• Special exemptions per PGA of America. (This likely will include all golfers from top 100 of Official World Golf Ranking on May 4.)
• If necessary to complete the field of 156, golfers outside Top 70 from special money list (two lines above) will gain entry in order of position.

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.
• Winner of the PGA Championship (May 17).
• Top five, not otherwise exempt, in the FedExCup at the conclusion of the PGA Championship (May 17).
• Top two, not otherwise exempt, in the 2025 Race to Dubai at the conclusion of the PGA Championship (May 17).
• Top player, not otherwise exempt, in the 2026 Race to Dubai (May 17).
• Leader, not otherwise exempt, in the Top 3 of the 2025 LIV Golf Individual Standings (May 18).
• Leader, not otherwise exempt, in the Top 3 of the 2026 LIV Golf Individual Standings (May 18).
• Top 60 of Official World Golf Ranking (May 18).
• Final qualifying at one site in England (May 18).
• Final qualifying at one site in Texas (May 18).
• Final qualifying at one site in Japan (May 25).
• Winner of the NCAA Division 1 individual championship, if still an amateur (June 1).
• 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

• Top two, not otherwise exempt, who make the cut at the Singapore Open (April 26).
• Winner of the PGA Championship (May 17).
• Top player, not otherwise exempt, who makes the cut at the KOLON Korea Open (May 24).
• Top 50 of Official World Golf Ranking (May 25).
• Top 5 in the Federation Ranking (May 25).
• Top three, not otherwise exempt, who make the cut at the Mizuno Open (May 31).
• Top player, not otherwise exempt, who makes the cut at the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday (June 7).
• Top three, 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 five, not otherwise exempt, inside the top 20 in the FedExCup at the conclusion of the Travelers Championship (June 28).
• Leader, not otherwise exempt, in the LIV Golf Individual Standings at the conclusion of LIV Golf Louisiana (June 28).
• Final Qualifying. Top 4 at each of four sites (June 30).
• Top five, not otherwise exempt, inside the top 20 in the Race to Dubai at the conclusion of the BMW International Open (July 5).
• Top three, not otherwise exempt, who make the cut at the Genesis Scottish Open (July 12).
• Winner of the Last-Chance Qualifier (July 13).