PGA featured holes: Travelers Championship

The top players competing together more often – guaranteed. That’s what fans can expect as the TOUR today finalized the list of events that top players have committed to participate in next year. The TOUR’s top players will compete for elevated purses of at least $20 million across these events, and fans will be the beneficiaries. Recognizing how important it is for fans to know where their favorite players will be competing, the top players in the TOUR’s Player Impact Program will feature in up to 20 events – 12 PGA TOUR events with elevated purses, including the three FedExCup Playoffs events, the four majors and THE PLAYERS, and three additional FedExCup events of their choosing. The field criteria for these designated events remain unchanged for 2023, formed via their traditional eligibility criteria. It’s the commitment from the TOUR’s top players to guarantee their appearance in these events that is unprecedented. A fan who buys a ticket to Bills-Chiefs, for example, knows he or she can expect to see Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes under center for their respective teams. Now TOUR fans can enjoy that same level of certainty when Jan. 1 rolls around, knowing, for example, where FedExCup champion Rory McIlroy or world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler will be playing. Here’s a look at how players earn their way into these designated events (excluding the majors and THE PLAYERS): Sentry Tournament of Champions Jan. 5-8, Plantation Course at Kapalua Kapalua, Maui, Hawaii No. of players: TBD • Winners of PGA TOUR cosponsored or approved tournaments in 2022 calendar year, whose victories are considered official • Winner of the 2021–22 FedExCup • Top 30 finishers and ties from the 2021-2022 FedExCup Playoffs & Eligibility Points List WM Phoenix Open Feb. 9-12, TPC Scottsdale (Stadium Course) Scottsdale, Ariz. No. of players: 132 Eligible players in the 132-player field are those players in the PGA TOUR’s priority ranking, except that the following shall not be eligible: • One sponsor exemption from among the current season’s Top Finishers of the Korn Ferry Tour category • One sponsor exemption from among the current season’s membership • One “unrestricted” sponsor exemption • One open qualifier • Current PGA National Professional Champion Genesis Invitational Feb. 16-19, Riviera Country Club Pacific Palisades, Calif. No. of players: 120 Eligible players in the 120-player field are: • Winners of The Genesis Invitational in the last five years (2018–2022). • Winners of Masters Tournament, THE PLAYERS Championship, U.S. Open, The Open Championship and PGA Championship in the last five years (2018–2022). • Winner of the FedExCup from 2018/19–2021/22 seasons.. • Winners of WGC-Mexico Championship and WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational from 2020 and 2021. • Winners of WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play from 2021 and 2022. • Winners of the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard and the Memorial Tournament in the last three years (2020–2022). • Winners of PGA TOUR cosponsored or approved tournaments, whose victories are considered official, since the previous season’s The Genesis Invitational. • Winner of the 2022 U.S. Amateur Championship (NOTE: Such player may turn professional and still be eligible for the exemption.) • Current PGA TOUR members who were playing members of the last named U.S. and European Ryder Cup teams (2021). • Current PGA TOUR members who were playing members of the last U.S. and International Presidents Cup teams (2022). • The top 125 players from the 2021–22 FedExCup Playoffs and Eligibility Points List. • The top 10 players from the 2022–23 FedExCup Points List through the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am • 12 sponsor exemptions, restricted as follows: – Two from among the current season’s Top Finishers of the Korn Ferry Tour category – Two from among the current season’s PGA TOUR membership – Eight “unrestricted” • If necessary to complete a field of 120 players, those players below 10th position from the current FedExCup Points List through the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, in order of their positions on such list. Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard March 2-5, Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge Orlando, Fla. No. of players: 120 Eligible players in the 120-player field are: • Winners of the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard prior to 2000*, and winners of the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard in the last five years (2018–2022). • Winners of Masters Tournament, THE PLAYERS Championship, U.S. Open, The Open Championship and PGA Championship in the last five years (2018–2022). (Note: THE PLAYERS and The Open were not contested in 2020.) • Winner of the FedExCup from the 2018/19–2021/22 seasons. • Winners of WGC-Mexico Championship from 2021 • Winners of the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational from 2020 and 2021 • Winners of WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play from 2021 and 2022 • Winners of The Genesis Invitational in the last three years (2021–2023) • Winners of the Memorial Tournament in the last three years (2020–2022) • Winners of PGA TOUR cosponsored or approved tournaments, whose victories are considered official, since the previous season’s Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard. • Playing members of the last-named U.S. Ryder Cup team (2021) • Current PGA TOUR members who were playing members of the last-named European Ryder Cup team (2021) • Playing members of the last-named U.S. Presidents Cup team (2022) • Current PGA TOUR members who were playing members of the last-named International Presidents Cup team (2022) • The winner of the 2022 U.S. Amateur Championship. (NOTE: Such player may turn professional and still be eligible for the exemption.) • Winner of the 2022 Arnold Palmer Award (Rookie of the Year). • The top 50 players from the Official World Golf Ranking through The Genesis Invitational (Monday, February 20, 2023). • Life members of the PGA TOUR • 18 sponsor exemptions, restricted as follows: – Two from among the current season’s Top Finishers of the Korn Ferry Tour category. – Eight from among the current season’s PGA TOUR membership. – Eight “unrestricted”. • Up to two foreign players designated by the Commissioner • The top 70 players from the final 2021–22 FedExCup Playoffs and Eligibility Points List. • Members in the Top 125-Nonmembers category whose points on the non-WGC FedExCup Points List for Non-members for the previous season equals or exceeds the amount of FedExCup points earned by the player finishing in 70th position on the final 2021–22 FedExCup Playoffs and Eligibility Points List • The top 70 players from the 2022–23 FedExCup Points List through The Genesis Invitational • Either the current winner of the PGA Section Championship or the current PGA Section Player of the Year where the tournament is played, as determined by the Section • If necessary to complete a field of 120 players, those players below 70th position from the 2022–23 FedExCup Points List through The Genesis Invitational, in order of their positions on such list * – Winners prior to 2000, who are not otherwise eligible for the event, will be added to the starting field and must maintain a scoring average no greater than three strokes above the field average for the rounds of golf in which they have played in the season prior to be eligible in this category. A player who loses his exempt status for failing to meet the scoring average provision may regain exempt status immediately by finishing three strokes or less above the field average for the rounds of golf in which he has played in official money events during the current season, excluding official money team events. World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play March 22-26, Austin Country Club Austin, Texas No. of players: 64 Eligible players in the 64-player field are: • The top 64 available players to a floor of 100 from the Official World Golf Ranking, as of the Monday one week prior to the week of the tournament (March 13, 2023) RBC Heritage April 13-16, Harbour Town Golf Links Hilton Head Island, S.C. No. of players: 132 Eligible players in the 132-player field are: • Winners of RBC Heritage prior to 2000*, and winners of RBC Heritage in the last five years (2018–2022). • Winners of the U.S. Open or PGA Championship prior to 2005 who played in a minimum of 15 PGA TOUR cosponsored or approved tournaments in the 2021–2022 season, provided however the Commissioner shall have the discretion to waive such 15 event minimum if a player otherwise eligible pursuant to this eligibility criteria did not play 15 events in the prior season as a result of an injury and would have qualified for a medical extension if he had applied for one and Winners of the U.S. Open or PGA Championship in the last five years (2018–2022) • Winners of the Masters Tournament in the last five years (2019–2022) • Winners of THE PLAYERS Championship from the years 2018 & 2019 and 2021–2023 • Winners of The Open Championship in the last five years (2018–2022) • Winners of the WGC-Mexico Championship from 2021 • Winners of the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play in the last three years (2021-2023) • Winners of the WGC-FedEx St Jude Invitational 2020 and 2021 • Winners of The Genesis Invitational and the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard in the last three years (2021–2023) • Winner of the Memorial Tournament in the last three years (2020–2022) • Winner of the 2022 U.S. Amateur Championship. (NOTE: Such player may turn professional and still be eligible for the exemption.) • Winner of the FedExCup in each of the last five seasons (2018-22) • Playing members of the last-named U.S. Ryder Cup team (2021) • Current PGA TOUR members who were playing members from the last-named European Ryder Cup team (2021) • Playing members of the last-named U.S. Presidents Cup team (2022) • Current PGA TOUR members who were playing members from the last-named International Presidents Cup team (2022) • The top 50 players from the Official World Golf Ranking through the completion of the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play/Corales Puntacana Championship • Eight sponsor exemptions, restricted as follows: – Two from among the current season’s PGA TOUR membership – Two from among the current season’s Top Finishers of the Korn Ferry Tour – Four “unrestricted” • Up to two foreign players designated by the Commissioner • Either the current or prior year winner of the PGA Section Championship or current or prior year winner of the PGA Section Player of the Year where the tournament is played, as determined by the section • PGA TOUR members who use an exemption for the 2022–23 season as one of the leaders (either top 25 or top 50) on the Official PGA TOUR Career Money List • Life members of the PGA TOUR • The top 125 players from the 2021-22 FedExCup Playoffs and Eligibility Points List • Members in the Top 125-Nonmembers category whose points on the Non-WGC FedExCup Points List for Non-Members for the previous season equal or exceed the amount of FedExCup points earned by the player finishing in 125th position on the 2021–22 FedExCup Playoffs and Eligibility Points List • PGA TOUR members from the current Tournament Winners category • The 20 players who are leading on the 2022–23 FedExCup Points List through the Valero Texas Open • Five players, not otherwise eligible, who are leading on the 2022–23 FedExCup Points List through the Valero Texas Open • If necessary to complete a field of 132 players, PGA TOUR members from the 2022–23 priority ranking of eligible players, after the Top 125 Non-Member category, in order of their positions on such list, including the Top 10 from Previous Tournament category. * – Winners prior to 2000, who are not otherwise eligible for the event, will be added to the starting field and must maintain a scoring average no greater than three strokes above the field average for the rounds of golf in which they have played in the season prior to be eligible in this category. A player who loses his exempt status for failing to meet the scoring average provision may regain 38 exempt status immediately by finishing three strokes or less above the field average for the rounds of golf in which he has played in official money events during the current season, excluding official money team events. Wells Fargo Championship May 4-7, Quail Hollow Club Charlotte, N.C. No. of players: 156 Eligible players in the 156-player field are those players in the PGA TOUR’s priority ranking. Memorial Tournament presented by Workday June 1-4, Muirfield Village Golf Club Dublin, Ohio No. of players: 120 Eligible players in the 120-player field are: • Winners of the Memorial Tournament prior to 1997* and winners of the Memorial Tournament in the last five years (2018–2022). • Winners of THE PLAYERS Championship in the last five years (2019–2023). • Winners of the Masters Tournament in the last five years (2019–2023). • Winners of the U.S. Open in the last five years (2018–2022). • Winners of The Open Championship in the last five years (2018–2022). • Winners of the PGA Championship from 2018–2023. • Winner of the FedExCup from 2018/19–2021/22 seasons. • Winners of the WGC-Mexico Championship from 2021. • Winners of the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play from the last three years (2021-2023). • Winners of the WGC-FedEx St Jude Invitational from the years 2020 and 2021. • Winners of The Genesis Invitational and the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard in the last three years (2021–2023). • Winners of PGA TOUR cosponsored or approved tournaments, whose victories are considered official, since the previous season’s Memorial Tournament. • Playing members of the last-named U.S. and European Ryder Cup teams (2021). • Playing members of the last-named U.S. and International Presidents Cup teams (2022). • Winner of the 2022 U.S. Amateur Championship. (Note: Such player may turn professional and still be eligible for the exemption.) • Winner of The 2022 Amateur Championship conducted by the R&A. (Note: Such player may turn professional and still be eligible for the exemption.) • Up to four players selected by the tournament from among the money leaders on the DP World Tour, Asian Tour, Australasian Tour, Sunshine Tour and Japan Golf Tour official money lists. • Up to fourteen sponsor exemptions, restricted as follows: – Six from among the current season’s PGA TOUR membership. – Two from among the current season’s Top Finishers of the Korn Ferry Tour category. – Six “unrestricted”. • The top 50 players from the Official World Golf Ranking through completion of the PGA Championship • The top 70 players from the 2021–2022 FedExCup Playoffs and Eligibility Points List. • Members in the Top 125-Nonmembers category whose points on the Non-WGC FedExCup Points List for Non-Members for the previous season equals or exceeds the amount of FedExCup points earned by the player finishing in 70th position on the 2021–2022 FedExCup Playoffs and Eligibility Points List. • The top 70 players from the 2022–2023 FedExCup Points List through the completion of the PGA Championship • The Division I College Player of the Year from 2022 (the Jack Nicklaus Award), as selected by the Golf Coaches Association of America. (Note: Such player may turn professional and still be eligible for the exemption.) • If necessary to complete a field of 120 players, PGA TOUR members beyond 70th position from both the 2022–2023 FedExCup Points List through the PGA Championship and the 2021–2022 FedExCup Playoffs and Eligibility Points List on an alternating basis beginning with the current season FedExCup Points List and in order of their positions on such FedExCup Points List (i.e., 71st player from current season’s FedExCup Points List, 71st player from prior season’s FedExCup Playoffs and Eligibility Points List, 72nd player from current season’s FedExCup Points List, and so on) * – Winners prior to 1997, who are not otherwise eligible for the event, will be added to the starting field and must maintain a scoring average no greater than three strokes above the field average for the rounds of golf in which they have played in the season prior to be eligible in this category. A player who loses his exempt status for failing to meet the scoring average provision may regain exempt status immediately by finishing three strokes or less above the field average for the rounds of golf in which he has played in official money events during the current season, excluding official money team events. Travelers Championship June 22-25, TPC River Highlands Cromwell, Conn. No. of players: 156 Eligible players in the 156-player field are those players in the PGA TOUR’s priority ranking. FedEx St. Jude Championship Aug. 10-13, TPC Southwind Germantown, Tenn. No. of players: 70 Eligible players are: • The top 70 players plus ties from the 2022–2023 FedExCup Points List through the Wyndham Championship BMW Championship Aug. 17-20, Olympia Fields CC (North) Olympia Fields, Ill. No. of players: 50 Eligible players are: • The top 50 players plus ties from the 2022–2023 FedExCup Points List through the FedEx St. Jude Championship TOUR Championship Aug. 24-27, East Lake Golf Club Atlanta, Ga. No. of players: 30 Eligible players are: • The top 30 players plus ties from the 2022–2023 FedExCup Points List through the BMW Championship

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PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – There was much made of the calendar switch from May to March for THE PLAYERS Championship. In the equipment world, many wondered if there was going to be an equipment trend that would follow – different wedge grinds, a different set makeup at the top end of the bag, or possibly more equipment testing given it’s new positioning ahead of The Masters. TOUR reps from several different companies, and players themselves, however, said that March versus May had little-to-no effect on a trend of equipment changes. That being said, a few specific players made changes this week at THE PLAYERS. Here are the highlights of all the noteworthy club changes this week. Mickelson’s Epic Flash Sub Zero one-diamond proto Phil Mickelson went on record proclaiming that he’d use a Callaway Rogue driver at least until The Masters, instead of the Callaway Epic Flash Sub Zero prototype he played early in 2019. He did, in fact, switch back into a Callaway Epic Flash driver at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, however. At THE PLAYERS, PGATOUR.COM took photos of his new Epic Flash that has just one diamond lasered onto the hosel, instead of the three-diamond prototype he used previously in 2019. Bryson’s festive headcovers The most noteworthy piece of equipment given the event’s place on the calendar was Bryson DeChambeau’s headcovers, honoring St. Patrick’s Day. The gold colorway of the covers could actually have a dual meaning; signifying the Irish “pot of gold,� and the new PLAYERS trophy is all gold. The headcovers are also imprinted with his initials “BD,� and they have four-leaf clovers stitched into them. DeChambeau also had a St. Patrick’s Day-themed golf bag made by Vessel. Tiger’s fresh wedge Tiger Woods, who’s been known to put fresh wedges in the bag ahead of majors, put a new 60-degree TaylorMade Milled Grind wedge in the bag for THE PLAYERS. There was much speculation on social media that it was a new wedge grind for the week, but his caddie Joe LaCava assured PGATOUR.COM that it was simply a new wedge made with the same specs and grind as his previous 60-degree wedge. Woods’ lob wedge is made with 11 degrees of bounce on the sole. Click here to see Tiger’s full WITB for 2019. Tony Finau makes a big switch Finau has used Accra prototype shafts in his metalwoods for his entire tenure as a Ping staffer, but that changed at THE PLAYERS. He switched into new Mitsubishi Diamana RF-series shafts in his Ping G410 Plus driver and three wood. While he picked up about 5 mph of ball speed, according to a Ping representative, the main reason for the switch was his ability to start the ball more on line with the shafts, yet still allowed for him to hit the fade he prefers. Click here for more information and photos on Finau’s new shafts. Patrick Reed makes a huge iron change Reed, who’s used a mix of Callaway MB-1 prototype irons and Razr X MB irons for years, put a Titleist 718 CB 4-iron and Titleist 718 MB irons (5-PW) in the bag this week due to their look, turf interaction and higher launch. They have loads of lead tape on the bottom portion of their back cavities. The 4-iron is equipped with a True Temper Dynamic Gold AMT X100 shaft, and the 5-PW are equipped with True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 shafts. After switching to a Srixon Z-Star for the first round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational, Reed switched back to a Titleist Pro V1 for the rest of that event, and he stayed with the Pro V1 at THE PLAYERS. Brandt Snedeker’s golf ball and shaft switch up Snedeker has used a Bridgestone golf ball for quite some time on TOUR, but he switched to a Srixon Z-Star XV golf ball at THE PLAYERS. He also conducted extensive driver testing ahead of the event, testing heads and shafts from various companies. Ultimately, he went with the TaylorMade M5 driver head he’s used throughout 2019, but switched from a Fujikura Speeder shaft to a Fujikura Ventus 6X. Jason Dufner changing it (back) up Dufner, who’s been bouncing around with different flatsticks lately, put his custom-made Scotty Cameron putter back in play that he’s used off-and-on since 2015. This time around, however, it has an LA Golf Shafts Ozik putter shaft in it. Also, while Dufner’s been experimenting with a Cobra driver for weeks (but hasn’t put in play during competition), he switched from his gamer Titleist driver to a Ping G410 Plus driver that’s equipped with a Project X HZRDUS Yellow shaft. Ryan Moore goes to Toulon Moore, who made headlines for not having to putt at all after making a slam-dunk hole-in-one on No. 17 this week, has been switching putters plenty so far in 2019. At THE PLAYERS, Moore put a new Odyssey Toulon Las Vegas putter in play with a Stroke Lab shaft. Champ goes back to iBlades While Champ was one of the numerous Ping staffers to switch into Blueprint irons in 2019, he switched back into the iBlade irons he played in 2018, and when he captured his first PGA TOUR victory. Along with switching heads, he also went back to the KBS Tour C-Taper 130X iron shafts. Champ switched into an LA Golf Shafts prototype driver shaft at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, but he returned to a Fujikura Pro Tour Spec shaft at THE PLAYERS that he’s played throughout his professional career. Hideki goes to a TaylorMade driver Hideki Matsuyama is no stranger to making club changes. His staff bag is routinely filled with 20+ clubs during any given practice round day. But while his bag is typically packed with different irons and wedges, Matsuyama switched from a Callaway Epic Flash driver to a TaylorMade M5 driver at THE PLAYERS. He switched heads but not shafts; his new driver remains equipped with a Graphite Design Tour AD-DI shaft. For more equipment photos from THE PLAYERS, check out our full gallery. 

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Snedeker withdraws from The Open with injury

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