The PGA Championship announced its field Tuesday, which included those who qualified on PGA points (PGA Tour money earned in the past 12 months) and what it refers to as "special invitations."
Translation: Anyone ranked in the top 100 in the world. Whatever it's called, it works.
The 156-man field at Valhalla next week will include the top 100 players from the world ranking, barring anyone having to withdraw. It goes even deeper than that. One of the special invitations went to Kevin Chappell, who is No. 104 in the world.
The highest-ranked player not currently in the PGA Championship field is Jerry Kelly at No. 109. Kelly is the first alternate and most likely to get in because the PGA sets aside two spots for winners of the Bridgestone Invitational and Barracuda Championship in Reno, Nev., if they are not already eligible. Pat Perez is the second alternate.
There were a few mysteries in the special invitations.
Stewart Cink received one of the spots, even though he is No. 149 in the world and was 21 spots behind Kelly in the PGA points list. Another invitation went to Robert Karlsson of Sweden, who is No. 115 in the world but has been making a rapid climb ranking this year. Karlsson was outside the top 200 just more than a month ago.
III
The 154 players who have qualified for the 96th PGA Championship, to be played at Valhalla Golf Club. Two spots are being held for the winners of the Bridgestone Invitational and Barracuda Championship if they are not already eligible. Otherwise, those spots to the alternates:
PGA CHAMPIONSHIP WINNERS: Jason Dufner, Rory McIlroy, Keegan Bradley, Martin Kaymer, Y.E. Yang, Padraig Harrington, Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Vijay Singh, Shaun Micheel, Rich Beem, David Toms, Davis Love III, Mark Brooks.
MASTERS CHAMPIONS (5 years): Bubba Watson, Adam Scott, Charl Schwartzel.
U.S. OPEN CHAMPIONS (5 years): Justin Rose, Webb Simpson, Graeme McDowell.
BRITISH OPEN CHAMPIONS (5 years): Ernie Els, Darren Clarke, Louis Oosthuizen.
2014 SENIOR PGA CHAMPION: Colin Montgomerie.
TOP 15 AND TIES FROM 2013 PGA CHAMPIONSHIP: Jim Furyk, Henrik Stenson, Jonas Blixt, Scott Piercy, Jason Day, Zach Johnson, Dustin Johnson, Boo Weekley, Marc Leishman, Marc Warren, Robert Castro, Kevin Streelman, Steve Stricker.
TOP 20 FROM 2014 PGA NATIONAL PROFESSIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP: Michael Block, Jamie Broce, Rob Corcoran, Stuart Deane, Frank Esposito, Ryan Helminen, David Hronek, Johan Kok, Aaron Krueger, Jim McGovern, David McNabb, Brian Norman, Rod Perry, Matt Pesta, Steve Schneiter, Jerry Smith, Bob Sowards, David Tentis, Dustin Volk, Eric Williamson.
TOP 70 IN PGA TOUR EARNINGS FROM 2013 BRIDGESTONE INVITATIONAL THROUGH 2014 CANADIAN OPEN: Jordan Spieth, Jimmy Walker, Matt Kuchar, Patrick Reed, Sergio Garcia, Rickie Fowler, Graham DeLaet, Gary Woodland, Brendon Todd, Ryan Moore, Chris Kirk, Harris English, Matt Every, Kevin Na, Brian Harman, Hideki Matsuyama, Kevin Stadler, Matt Jones, John Senden, Bill Haas, J.B. Holmes, Luke Donald, Charley Hoffman, Tim Clark, George McNeill, Charles Howell III, Nick Watney, Seung-yul Noh, Ryan Palmer, Hunter Mahan, Will Mackenzie, Russell Henley, Ian Poulter, Chris Stroud, Billy Horschel, Erik Compton, K.J. Choi, Brian Stuard, Brendon de Jonge, Brendal Steele, Brandt Snedeker, Daniel Summerhays, Rory Sabbatini, Steven Bowditch, Jason Bohn, Ben Martin, Ben Crane, Freddie Jacobson.
PGA TOUR WINNERS SINCE THE 2013 PGA CHAMPIONSHIP: Scott Stallings, Chesson Hadley.
SPECIAL EXEMPTIONS FROM THE PGA OF AMERICA: Tom Watson, Thomas Bjorn, Rafa Cabrera-Bello, Paul Casey, George Coetzee, Jamie Donaldson, Victor Dubuisson, Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano, Ross Fisher, Tommy Fleetwood, Stephen Gallacher, Branden Grace, David Hearn, Kim Hyung-Sung, Mikko Ilonen, Ryo Ishikawa, Thongchai Jaidee, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Brooks Koepka, Lahiri Anirban, Pablo Larrazabal, Alexander Levy, Shane Lowry, Joost Luiten, Matteo Manassero, Edoardo Molinari, Francesco Molinari, Koumei Oda, Thorbjorn Olesen, Kenny Perry, Richard Sterne, Lee Westwood, Bernd Wiesberger, Chris Wood, Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Kevin Chappell, Stewart Cink, Robert Karlsson, Hideto Tanihara, Danny Willett, Fabrizio Zanotti.
PLAYERS BEYOND TOP 70 IN PGA TOUR TOUR EARNINGS FROM 2013 BRIDGESTONE INVITATIONAL THROUGH 2014 CANADIAN OPEN: Scott Brown, Russell Knox, Cameron Tringale, Jason Kokrak.
ALTERNATES: Jerry Kelly, Pat Perez, Shawn Stefani, John Huh, Robert Garrigus, Justin Hicks, Andrew Svoboda, Billy Hurley III, Martin Flores, Michael Thompson.