How to Qualify for the Senior PGA Tour

The Senior PGA Tour is now called the Champions Tour.

Many of the greatest players of all time, including Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson, have played this tour for golfers 50 and older. To play in such company, you have to survive a tough qualifying process.

Champions Tour Qualifying

1. Go to the Champions Tour website to download the qualifying application (see references). Along with your application, you must provide a copy of your birth certificate, results from two tournaments held within the last year, and two letters of reference from a Class A PGA pro or a Champions Tour member.

1. Play in the Regional Qualifying Stage. Unless you are an exempt player, you must compete in the 72-hole qualifying tournament. The number of successful qualifiers is announced during the Regional Qualifying Stage.

1. Successful qualifiers and exempt players then compete in the Final Qualifying Stage.

2. The field size in the Final Qualifying Stage is 78 players. All 78 players play 72 holes.

1. Finish in the top 12 players at the Final Qualifying Stage.

2. The top five players will receive full exemption status, and the next seven will be conditionally exempt. Conditionally exempt players are accepted in tournaments on a space-available basis.