As mentioned previously things are a little slow in the world of professional golf right now. But something very nice happened this weekend that I want to point out.
Here is the PGA Tour web site giving the details on how fields are chosen for PGA sponsored tournaments. You will notice the word ‘exemption’ is used. Every professional golfer must meet at least one ( many of them meet several at one time ) of these exemptions to be eligible to play in PGA Tour sponsored events. The length of the exemptions vary, depending on the tournaments won, and the money earned. 1 year, 3 years, 5 years. Depending on how well ( or badly ) a golfer plays, and how much money he earns( or doesn’t earn ), it is possible to run out of exemptions, and not be eligible to play on the tour. Unless you happen to meet exemption #17 on that list. The criteria for #17 is: 15 years on the tour, with at least 20 wins. If you meet that you have a lifetime exemption. Not 1 year, or even 10 years. Lifetime.
On Sunday Davis Love III won his 20th PGA Tour sponsored tournament, The Children’s Miracle Network Classic. Davis joined the tour in 1987, 22 years ago. This weekend Davis qualified for #17. He earned a lifetime exemption.
This is really a remarkable accomplishment. Currently there are only two other active players on the tour who would qualify for #17, Phil Mickelson and Vijay Singh. Tiger has won quite a bit more than 20 tournaments, but he has only been on the tour 13 years. Not that Phil or Vijay need #17. They each qualify under quite a few of the preceding exemptions. As does Davis. But there still has to be a sense of immense satisfaction knowing that you have done what you love to do well enough long enough that you have earned a life time pass. Very few professional golfers ever reach that state.
And so here at TGW we say Congratulations Davis Love III, and may you play many more years and add many more wins to that 20.
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