Exemption Categories

The 2026 Elite Invitational

1. Past Champions

Past champions of The Elite Invitational.

2. Prior-Year Results

Players finishing in the top five and ties in the previous year’s event.

3. Women’s Professional Event Qualification

Players earning entry through final open qualifying into an LPGA Tour, Ladies European Tour, or Epson Tour event.

4. Men’s Professional Event Qualification

Players earning entry through final open qualifying into a PGA Tour, U.S. Open, DP World Tour, or Korn Ferry Tour event.

5. Prestigious International Amateur Events

  1. Qualification for match play in The R&A Boys’ or Girls’ Amateur Championship.
  2. Qualification for The R&A Amateur Championship or Women’s Amateur Championship.
  3. Qualification for match play in the USGA U.S. Junior Amateur or U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship.
  4. Qualification for the USGA U.S. Amateur or U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship.
  5. Top five in the previous year’s Augusta National Women’s Amateur Championship, provided the finishing position is within the top 25 and ties.
  6. Top five in the previous year’s Latin America Amateur Championship, provided the finishing position is within the top 25 and ties.
  7. Top five in the previous year’s Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship, provided the finishing position is within the top 25 and ties.

6. Results in Prestigious Junior Tournaments

  1. Top three in the Sage Valley Junior Invitational.
  2. Top three in the Sally Invitational.
  3. Girls’ champion of the Western Junior.
  4. Boys’ champion of the Western Junior.
  5. Girls’ champion of the North & South Junior Championship.
  6. Boys’ champion of the North & South Junior Championship.
  7. Champion of the Dustin Johnson World Junior Championship.
  8. Boys’ and girls’ champions of the FCGT World Championship.

7. Membership on National and International Teams

The following exemptions include team members and alternates:

  1. Boys’ and Girls’ U.S. National Teams.
  2. Boys’ and Girls’ Mexican Junior Amateur Teams.
  3. Boys’ and Girls’ Canadian Junior Amateur Teams.
  4. Junior Solheim Cup Teams.
  5. Junior Ryder Cup Teams.
  6. Great Britain & Ireland and USA Curtis Cup Teams.
  7. European and USA Palmer Cup Teams.
  8. Great Britain & Ireland and USA Walker Cup Teams.

8. Veteran Golfers Association Exemptions

  1. One player nominated to the girls’ field.
  2. One player nominated to the boys’ field.

Eligibility Requirements

All contestants, including exempt players, must meet the applicable USGA age requirements before the start of the final round.

Each contestant must be an amateur under the current Rules of Amateur Status and must have no current or pending matters that may affect their amateur status.