Menu
PGA TOUR Americas will assign an official to act as a resource for events in the planning and organization of their individual event open qualifiers. This tournament official will be in contact early in the planning process and will also coordinate the assistance/involvement of the local provincial golf association where possible and applicable. Additionally, the PGA TOUR Americas official will assist each Organizing/Rules Committee to ensure that each of the following guidelines is addressed:
Players will enter the qualifier via an online portal https://www.bluegolf.com/pro/programs/pgatourca
The Open Qualifier entry fee is set by the PGA TOUR from time to time. Currently the entry fee for the PGA Tour Canada Open Qualifiers shall be:
(a) $100CAD plus applicable tax for PGA Tour members, Korn Ferry Tour members, PGA TOUR members, PGA TOUR Champions regular members, PGA TOUR Latinoamerica members and PGA TOUR China members
(b) $300CAN plus applicable tax for all other entrants.
Deadline for receipt of entries by eligible players (non-member professional golfers and amateurs with attested handicaps of two (2) or less) shall be by 5:00 pm (local tournament site time) on the Wednesday preceding the Open Qualifying competition. All players must enter by the applicable deadline, except that members of PGA TOUR, Korn Ferry Tour, PGA TOUR Latinoamérica, PGA Tour China and regular members of PGA TOUR Champions may enter up until 5 pm local time on the Friday preceding the Open Qualifying. If such members made the cut in the preceding week’s tournament, they should normally be paired in the latest groupings.
To the extent possible, conditions of the Open Qualifying site(s) shall be comparable to those of the Tournament site in conditioning, speed of greens, etc. The PGA TOUR recognizes that finding good courses willing to hold events can sometimes be difficult, however the PGA TOUR expects the course to be one of the better courses in the region. The course should be of a traditional nature, in good condition, and a good test of golf. A course where a player must hit an iron off of a majority of tees or a course that is in poor condition from a maintenance perspective is unacceptable. The proximity of the course to the tournament site should be included in the decision; however, it is more important to play a high quality course located over one-hour from the tournament site than it is to play one of less quality thirty minutes away. The PGA TOUR requires that all Open Qualifiers be played on Monday, even if this falls on a National Holiday.
The field size should be such that play, at a reasonable pace, can be completed in one day. If this is not possible because of the number of entries, multiple courses should be used. The Open Qualifying field size must be approved by the PGA Tour Qualifying Official. Field sizes must not exceed 156 per course.
In any case, if multiple courses are used, the organizing committee must attempt to make the field size at each course approximately equal.
The groupings and starting times for Open Qualifying shall be posted by 8:00 AM (local time) on Saturday preceding the competition. Normally the competition shall be played in groups of three players each, with starting times off both the first and tenth tees in two “waves”. The first starting time should be at the earliest reasonable time which provides time for maintenance procedures and gives the first group 45 minutes to warm up.
Facilities hosting Open Qualifying may not prohibit the use of traditional metal spikes for the Open Qualifying competition, without prior written approval of PGA TOUR Americas
For PGA Tour events, the number of players advancing is normally eight (8). To the extent possible, playoffs for qualifying positions shall be conducted immediately following the completion of qualifying competition play. If two sites are required, playoffs for the specified number of spots shall be conducted at each site. The PGA Tour official will notify you the day of the event to let you know how many if any alternates will be needed. In no case will a playoff be decided by any other means than a hole-by-hole format, even if this means continuing the playoff on the next day.
During Open Qualifying: Power Carts are not permitted. Players and caddies shall walk at all times, except when permitted by the Rules Committee to ride. Players are not required to have a caddie. Players and caddies may either carry the clubs or use a manual / electric pull cart.
Anyone seeking a golf cart due to a disability defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) should contact the PGA TOUR Americas Competition Department at 904-285-3700 to obtain information on procedures for submitting such requests. All such requests due to temporary injuries or impairments that do not qualify as a “disability” under the ADA will not be granted.
Players: While on the host facility property, players shall present a neat appearance in both clothing and personal grooming. Contestants may wear either long pants or tailored solid colored knee length shorts. Blue jeans, cutoffs and T-shirts shall not be worn.
Caddies: While on the host facility property, caddies may wear either long pants or tailored solid colored knee length shorts or skorts. Blue jeans, cutoffs, t-shirts and shirts with no collar shall not be worn. Smooth rubber soled shoes are required. Sandals, open toe shoes, and golf shoes with traditional metal or soft spikes are prohibited.
The Organizing/Rules Committee shall have an evacuation plan in place for the Open Qualifying competition in the event inclement weather necessitates a prompt evacuation of the golf course.
Score cards must be for the course being played and need to include the competitor’s name, date, starting hole (i.e. #1 and #10), the yardage and par for each hole and a place for both the competitor and marker to sign. Ideally, the Organizing Committee will create its own score card for the competition as opposed to using the normal card for the course. BlueGolf also provides the ability to print score cards on card stock provided by the Tour.
The Rules of the R&A / Golf Canada / USGA govern play, as modified by PGA TOUR Canada. An allotment of PGA Tour Canada Local Rules and Terms of the Competition “Hard Cards” will be provided. In addition, the Organizing/Rules Committee will create a Notice to Players that conforms to the Rules of Golf.
The PGA Tour Pace of Play Policy will be in effect for Open Qualifying. The Organizing/Rules Committee will be required, under the guidance of PGA Tour, to create a Pace of Play Time Chart.
The Organizing/Rules Committee is required to coordinate the starters, scoring officials and to provide a minimum of two on-course rules officials (certified by Golf Canada / PGA/USGA examination) at each qualifying course.
Generally, there should be no change in the usual maintenance program of the course. However, all putting greens and tees must be mowed the morning of the competition and the green speed should be somewhere between 9 and 10 on the stimpmeter. Fairways should be cut within the preceding day and bunkers should be smoothed prior to play. PGA Tour Canada does request that the course generally be firm and fast and not overly wet on the competition day. If possible, divots in landing areas and on tees should be filled and dew on fairways, tees and putting green collars should be removed.
The marking of the course is the responsibility of the Organizing/Rules Committee. The course MUST be marked at least two days prior to the event. Please contact the facility and develop an action plan for marking the course. The use of 1” x 2” x 24” stakes for penalty areas and 1” x 2” x 30” or 36” stakes for out-of-bounds is preferred. Ensure that there is enough red, yellow and white marking paint to mark the course, enough paint guns and a stake mallet. Out-of-bounds must be defined and marked with white stakes and all penalty areas must be identified with stakes and defined by painted lines. The marking of any ground under repair should also be done by the committee.
Hole locations: The Organizing/Rules Committee will be responsible for this. The hole locations should be in flat areas that provide a fair test for the event. They should not necessarily be in the most difficult position on the green. A Hole Location Sheet should be prepared and provided to each competitor on the day of the competition.
Tee Markers: The Organizing/Rules Committee will also be responsible for this. They should be put on the back tees primarily, unless weather, wind or course design requires that they be placed on other decks. A fair test of golf and NOT the most difficult test is always the primary objective.
Please coordinate with the host facility the recruitment of volunteers if necessary and the erecting of starting and finishing tent(s).
Please coordinate with the host facility to ensure that drinking water is located at least twice on each nine.
A scoring area for players to sign and return their score card is also required. The area should be in close proximity to the finishing green(s) and needs to be large enough to allow all players in a grouping to be seated comfortably. The area should be clearly defined. A scoring summary sheet should also be maintained so that finishing competitors can check their position among other finishers.
In order to conduct online scoring two (2) volunteers will need to be secured. Volunteers will collect 9-hole scores from each group and will enter them into the BlueGolf system. Instructions will be supplied by the PGA Tour.
Any reduction or cancellation in the respective qualifying competition shall be in accordance with Reduction/Cancellation Guidelines as found in the PGA TOUR Americas Tournament Regulations if applicable. In the event that the competition is canceled without any player having been able to play, all entry fees will be refunded. In the event the competition is canceled after play has begun, all entry fees will be refunded, minus a $25 administrative charge per player.
The term “Force Majeure” shall mean acts of God, earthquakes, blizzards, tornadoes, hurricanes, fire, flood, malicious mischief, insurrection, riots, labor disturbances, public enemy, war, landslides, explosions, epidemics, compliance with any order, ruling, injunction or decree by any court, tribunal or judicial authority of competent jurisdiction and any other similar circumstances beyond the reasonable control of the PGA Tour. The organizing committee acknowledges and agrees that the PGA Tour shall have the right to cancel or reschedule the Tournament as a result of a Force Majeure event. In such event, PGA TOUR shall not be responsible to reimburse any expenses.
If in the judgment of the on-site committee, whose decision shall be final, conditions render commencement or continuation of tournament play inadvisable, play shall be postponed until such time as the committee determines that such weather conditions or other occurrences or conditions have improved sufficiently for play to commence or resume.
In situations involving adverse weather conditions or any other occurrence or condition, our first priority is the completion of the qualifying competition. Every effort will be made to achieve this objective by the end of the scheduled competition day.
In the event the qualifying competition cannot be completed by the end of the scheduled competitive day, play will be extended an additional day. If the completion of the qualifying competition is impossible by the end of one additional day, the next priority will be the completion of the competition by the end of one additional day. However, the Open Qualifying competition will not continue beyond the end of the day preceding the first scheduled round of the competition. In the event one or more of the 18-hole Open Qualifying contestants cannot be identified, those qualifying spots will be filled by the next available players on the PGA Tour Alternate List.
PGA TOUR Americas reserves the right to change the format, venue(s), qualifying spots and allotments, and other criteria set forth herein as presently contemplated due to adverse weather or other circumstances. In such cases, the decision of the on-site Rules Committee in charge shall be final.