As a golf fan, one of the coolest things about majors like The Masters or the US Open is the classic underdog story, where you get to see an amateur following his dream, somehow ramping it up, and taking the pros by surprise. But here’s the thing: you’re never going to see this happen at the PGA Championship. And this is not accidental.

Now, we know what you’re thinking—“Isn’t“ golf supposed to be the one sport where anyone can qualify if they’re good enough?” That’s true for many tournaments. In fact, five amateurs teed off at the 2025 Augusta Masters tournament. So, why is the PGA Championship a different ballgame?

The PGA Championship features the largest field of any major, packing in a whopping 156 players, and it is set by the PGA of America itself. They do leave a spot for 20 PGA professionals, a move that has garnered some criticism this year. One of the most famous names in these 20 spots is Michael Block, who has qualified this year, too. He made an ace in the 2023 edition and took the golf world by storm.

Now, you’d think this sort of field would leave room for a few amateurs, wouldn’t you? Think again. Unlike the US Open, which lives up to the ‘open’ in its name by offering qualifying spots for amateurs, the PGA Championship is strictly for professional golfers.

But this doesn’t mean that an amateur cannot ever compete in the PGA Championship. There are a couple of exceptions.

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Has an amateur ever participated in the PGA Championships before?

One way for an amateur to sneak in is by winning any of the other three majors, which comes with a five-year exemption into the PGA Championship. But let’s be real—that’s a long shot. The last amateur to win a major was Johnny Goodman, who triumphed at the US Open in 1933, but he still didn’t get to play in the Championship.

Another way is to win a PGA Tour title while playing on a sponsor’s exemption. Lastly, any player in the world’s top 100 before the tournament typically qualifies, although highly unlikely, that could include an amateur.

So, the PGA Championship is all about the pros — PGA Tour winners, golf teachers, past major champions, top golfers in the world rankings, club pros, and the golfing elite. So, while it’s cool to imagine a college kid giving the big boys a run for their money, fairy tales like these rarely make the cut.

What are your thoughts about amateurs getting into the majors? Drop us a comment below.