There are 156 players in the field of the 2025 PGA Championship, and Rickie Fowler is not one of them. Well, so far. Fowler, a 2023 Ryder Cup member, is currently ranked 125th in the Official World Golf Ranking, just outside the qualification threshold. However, Fowler has received a sponsor’s exemption to play this week at The Philadelphia Cricket Club, joining Jordan Spieth and Gary Woodland in the field, following his missed cut at the 2025 Masters.

While Fowler preps for the next PGA tournament, many pro golfers are already snatching the exemptions for the upcoming major. Per the latest reports, several LIV Golf players have received special invitations to the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow, including Dustin Johnson, who recently struggled to make the cut at the Masters, missing it for the second straight year after a double bogey on the final holes. Yet despite his poor performance, Johnson has been extended an invite to the PGA Championship, which honestly is a surprising turn of events for many and the golfer himself.

Moreover, Tom McKibbin and David Puig have also received special invitations, adding to the diverse field of competitors set to tee off at the prestigious event. And while all that is amazing for the competition, Fowler’s chances of getting into the field of the 2025 PGA Championship are looking bleak. But why? Well, let’s be real, Fowler hasn’t exactly been on fire lately. He’s had just one top-10 finish since the 2024 season started, which is a big drop-off from the eight top-10s he had in 2022-23. That being said, he’s still shown some consistency, making the cut in most of his events and grabbing a couple of top-25 finishes this year.

So, the golfer will be playing at the Truist Championship this week, hoping to hear from the PGA of America, which, frankly, does not seem possible, as of now. You see, when we say the former world number four and six-time PGA Tour winner is right out of the qualification threshold, we mean that players like Fowler fall just short of automatic qualification for the PGA Championship.

Whereas, others, like Erik van Rooyen, who jumped 50 spots to 80th in PGA Championship Points and rose to 66th in the OWGR, are poised to receive a special invitation, and golfers like Tyrrell Hatton, Max Homa, and Nicolai Højgaard, all 2023 Ryder Cup members ranked within the top 100, have already secured their spots. But, it’s not only the U.S. players who are getting the opportunity to play in the prestigious major, as the PGA of America has decided to bring in talent from Australia as well.

Elvis Smylie is set for PGA Championship debut

“I’m really excited for this opportunity,” said Elvis Smylie, after being granted a special exemption to play the US PGA Championship at Quail Hollow. Smylie’s spot in the field is a direct result of his impressive performance on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia, where he claimed the 2024-2025 Order of Merit title, continuing a trend that rewards top performers with a chance to compete in the PGA Championship, as seen with previous winners David Micheluzzi and Kazuma Kobori in 2023 and 2024.

Smylie, 23, will make his US major tournament debut, although he has previously played in The Open Championship at Royal Troon last year. He has shown promise in big tournaments, including a win in the BMW Australian PGA Championship, where he went toe-to-toe with Cameron Smith and Marc Leishman. Smylie’s inclusion takes the total number of Australians in the field to seven, joining notable golfers like Jason Day, Cameron Smith, and Adam Scott. As the reigning champion of the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia, Smylie will also tee off at The Open Championship at Royal Portrush.

So, are you excited to see how all of it will unfold this year on Quail Hollow? Let us know in the comment section below!