PGA Creates a Tiger Woods Loophole

Grants him a lifetime exemption to play 'signature' events based on his 80-plus career wins
By John Johnson,  Newser Staff
Posted Jun 19, 2024 10:05 AM CDT
PGA Creates a Tiger Woods Loophole
Tiger Woods wipes his face on the 16th hole during weather warnings in second round of the US Open golf tournament Friday, June 14, 2024, in Pinehurst, NC.   (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

The PGA tweaked its rules Tuesday to allow players with 80 or more PGA Tour victories to play in its "signature" events. Only two players in history have hit that milestone: Tiger Woods and the late Sam Snead, who both have 82. Meaning, the PGA created this exemption solely for Woods, reports CNN. And they're not trying to be coy about it, either: "An additional sponsor exemption will be created to recognize Tiger Woods in his own category as a player who has reached an exceptional lifetime achievement threshold of 80+ career wins," reads a memo from the PGA Tour policy board, per ESPN.

"Signature" events aren't majors but are lucrative marquee tournaments. This year has eight: the Sentry, the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, the Genesis Invitational, the Arnold Palmer Invitational, the RBC Heritage, the Wells Fargo Championship, the Memorial Tournament, and the Travelers Championship. Woods, 48, is playing nowhere near often enough or well enough to qualify under normal circumstances, particularly since a car crash in 2021. As Golf.com notes, an "exemption category is only meaningful in the event that Woods actually uses it." (More Tiger Woods stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X