Golf is a sport beloved by millions of people around the world. The beauty of the game is that it can be played by anyone, but it is still nearly impossible to master. The golfers lucky enough to play at an elite level are given an opportunity to compete for large sums of money on a weekly basis in the Professional Golfers Association. The PGA prides itself on showcasing the best golfers in the world, so earning and keeping a spot on tour is extremely difficult.
The PGA hosts a special qualifying tournament every year that is open to anyone interested in becoming a professional golfer. The top finishers in this tournament will earn a spot on the PGA’s developmental tour. A successful season on the developmental tour will give a golfer the opportunity to become a PGA Tour member. The hard work does not stop after earning a spot in the PGA. There is a set of requirements that every PGA golfer must meet in order to keep their professional status for the next season.
Everyone that earns a spot on the PGA Tour is expected to be an active member. The PGA requires that every golfer competes in at least 15 tournaments every year. There are just under 50 events every season, so this requirement is not too hard to complete. Anyone that fails to play in the required number of tournaments will have their PGA Tour status revoked for the following season unless they are dealing with a serious injury.
In addition to competing in PGA events on a regular basis, the golfers must also play at a high level if they want to maintain their professional status. The golfers earn ranking points based on their finishing position in every tournament. The top 125 players in the rankings get to keep their spot on the PGA Tour. All of the tournament winners are also invited back for the next season.
The 75 highest ranked players that did not automatically maintain their PGA status still get an opportunity to keep their spot on tour. They are entered into a four-tournament series with the top 75 players from the developmental tour. The top 50 finishers in this special series earn the last spots on the PGA Tour.