Tiger Woods to get lifetime exemption from PGA Tour to compete in Signature Events - Reports

The PGA Tour is expected to vote on handing Tiger Woods a lifetime exemption into Signature Events. These tournaments are elevated events on tour, featuring a smaller field and occasionally no cut.

They are harder to qualify for than other events. With Woods' limited playing time, it's even harder for him to qualify.

Golf reporter Sean Zak took to X (formerly Twitter) and reported:

"Next week, the PGA Tour Policy Board will vote on the idea of a new, Lifetime Achievement exemption into Signature Events for ... Tiger Woods. Idea was supported by the PAC during meeting three weeks ago and (if approved) would be implemented next season. (Win 80+ times, new rules get made for you.) Also on the docket is creation of an alternates list for Siggies to maintain a 72-player minimum in the $20-million events."

The Tour would reportedly award Woods a Lifetime Achievement exemption for his outstanding career. He is the most accomplished golfer still playing in any capacity, with 82 all-time PGA Tour wins and 15 Major victories.

The idea had support and if implemented, would begin in 2025. In a memo circulated to players, the Player Advisory Council (PAC) propped this up. This exemption would be for Tiger Woods alone. It was first brought up at the PAC meeting during the Charles Schwab Challenge.

The Signature Events on tour currently include the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, RBC Heritage, Genesis Invitational, Arnold Palmer Invitational, Wells Fargo Championship, The Sentry Memorial, and Travelers Championship.

---

Tiger Woods' exemption would mean more frequent appearances

When Tiger Woods first returned from ankle surgery, he expressed a desire to play monthly, citing the Genesis Invitational as a specific event he wanted to play. It's a little harder to qualify for, but this exemption would remove any barriers to entry.

If Woods were to play in these events, it would undoubtedly mean he plays more often than initially planned. In 2024, he has barely even met his monthly statement. These events, coupled with the Major tournaments (and the Players Championship, another tournament he named) would lead to multiple appearances in a month.

Tiger Woods is up for a lifetime exemption into Signature Events

For example, the Wells Fargo Championship is in May, right before the PGA Championship. It's unclear how Woods' body would handle back-to-back appearances in that scenario.

The PGA Tour operates from January to August, with the Tour Championship occasionally reaching into early September. The four Majors, the Players, and the Signature Events equal 13 events in the eight-month span.

If Tiger Woods plays in non-season events like the PNC Championship or the Hero World Challenge, that adds to an already elevated workload. If the tour implements this exemption, it could mean that fans see a lot more of Woods than they have recently.