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Vijay Singh Uses Career-Money Exemption To Regain PGA Tour Status For 2026

His season begins at the Sony Open after the Tour said he will be eligible for most full‑field events, reviving questions about legacy exemptions.

Overview

  • The 62-year-old Hall of Famer activated his one-time top‑50 career earnings exemption and has entered next week’s Sony Open in Hawaii.
  • A PGA Tour spokesperson said Singh will likely be eligible for the vast majority of full‑field tournaments in 2026, with no automatic access to smaller signature events.
  • Tour rules grant one-time full-season exemptions to players inside the top 25 and a separate one-time exemption to those inside the top 50 on the all-time money list.
  • Commentators, including Brandel Chamblee, criticized the rule as undercutting merit-based access, noting the exemption does not expand fields and instead displaces a bubble player.
  • In contrast, Matt Kuchar declined to use his available money-list exemption for 2026, opting for conditional status after concluding it would add only a few starts without signature-event entry.