Qualifiers for all 2026 Signature Events, THE PLAYERS and majors

Not that there’s never a good time for a breakthrough victory on the PGA TOUR – no matter how long it takes – when it begets an exemption into the next major, which happens to be the next tournament on the schedule, then that’s getting the job done in the most timely of fashions. But this one also yields a spot in the next major after that, and the one after that, and the one after that.

This is Bud Cauley's new world as a PGA TOUR member. In what was his 239th start on the circuit as a professional, he rose up for a two-stroke win at the RBC Canadian Open on Sunday. He hadn’t finished better than third place four times in his career until converting at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley’s North Course.

In addition to a PGA TOUR exemption as a winner through his age-38 season of 2028, he’s in the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club as one of the two golfers inside the top 60 of the latest Official World Golf Ranking who hadn’t yet qualified. Cauley is now a career-best 40th. The Memorial Tournament presented by Workday champion J.T. Poston slots 38th for the other representative via the last checkpoint of the OWGR.

That left the USGA to fill out the field of 156 with five via Final Qualifying. In alphabetical order with their sites cited, the cohort consists of South Africa’s Hennie Du Plessis (England), PGA TOUR member Harry Higgs (North Carolina), recent University of Virginia graduate Bryan Lee (Maryland), recent University of Kentucky graduate Jack Schoenberger (Georgia) and Spencer Tibbits (Oregon). Tibbits was the last golfer eliminated in Final Qualifying when Andrew Putnam outdueled the Oregon State University product in a nine-hole playoff that spilled into the next day. Du Plessis and Schoenberger never have played in a major, while each of the other three have pegged it in at least one U.S. Open.

If there are any withdrawals from the U.S. Open, replacements are determined by who withdraws. If it’s a golfer from Final Qualifying, then he is replaced by the next alternate from the same site. However, if a qualifier who gained entry via another conduit withdraws, the USGA calls on the next alternate on its master list consisting of all remaining first and second alternates from Final Qualifying. So as not to create confusion externally, the USGA does not release its master list.

Just as Poston qualified for The Open Championship as the highest finisher not otherwise exempt at the Memorial, Cauley did the same in Canada, as both events were stops on the Open Qualifying Series. The difference is that the R&A reserved slots for the top three at TPC Toronto.

With runner-up Matt Fitzpatrick and the third-place finisher, Viktor Hovland, already exempt at Royal Birkdale, the remaining two spots were decided among the foursome who tied for fourth. None of the golfers already were exempt, so their OWGR at the start of the RBC Canadian was used as a tiebreaker, with the best two earning the berths.

With respective OWGRs of Nos. 167 and 196, Jackson Suber and Jesper Svensson punched tickets. Brice Garnett (368th) and Jimmy Stanger (706th) did not qualify.

Cauley’s exemptions into majors off this victory will carry forward into exemptions into the 2027 editions of the Masters and the PGA Championship. He’s also secured a spot in THE PLAYERS Championship next year. Meanwhile, only the Travelers Championship remains among the Signature Events this season, but he was exempt into the series for finishing inside the top 50 of the 2025 FedExCup.

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 -- Bud Cauley; Hennie du Plessis; Harry Higgs; Bryan Lee; J.T. Poston; Jack Schoenberger; Spencer Tibbits
OPEN -- Bud Cauley; Jackson Suber; Jesper Svensson

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

• Travelers Championship (June 25-28)

U.S. Open (US) at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club – June 18-21

• Field is complete.

The Open Championship (OPEN) at Royal Birkdale Golf Club – July 16-19

• 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).
• Final Qualifying. Top four 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).