How Tiger Woods Could Still Qualify for the 2028 Championship Series

The PGA Tour's new eligibility structure for its 2028 Championship Series, announced Sept. 15, leaves Tiger Woods a path into the top tier — but only if he plays far more golf than he has in recent years.

How could Woods qualify for the 2028 Championship Series?

Woods, tied for the career PGA Tour wins record with 82 and second to Jack Nicklaus with 15 majors, is currently No. 3 on the career money list after being passed by Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy this season. As things stand, he could use a one-time exemption reserved for the top 50 on that list, but doing so requires playing 15 PGA Tour events in 2027. Woods has not played 15 times in a season since 2018. He could also qualify by winning a 2027 PGA Tour event.

What is Woods still exempt for?

Woods carries a lifetime PGA Tour exemption as a World Golf Hall of Fame member and 20-time winner, and he remains exempt for the 2027 Masters, PGA Championship and British Open as a past champion of each. His exemptions into the Players Championship and U.S. Open, tied to his 2019 Masters win, expired after the 2024 tournaments. He is also eligible for PGA Tour Champions but has not played an event there.

What did PGA Tour Commissioner Brian Rolapp say about Woods and the new rules?

Rolapp said Woods, who chairs the Tour's Future Competitions Committee, did not use his position to seek additional eligibility paths for himself, calling his focus "trying to make the PGA Tour live way past any of us."

Woods has not played a PGA Tour event since 2024 amid injuries and personal issues, including a March DUI arrest that led to a five-year license suspension imposed on Sept. 2. His last competitive appearance was a TGL event on March 1.