Overview of the 2018 PGA Championship Field
The 2018 PGA Championship field reflected the broad eligibility and depth of professional golf, centered at the Mayakoba El Camaleón Golf Course in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. With 156 players, the field comprised recent major champions, top performers on tours, season-long points leaders, and top-ranked golfers under multiple criteria. This structure balances invitations based on past results, current form, and international representation, creating a field designed to test the world’s best across varied conditions.
Below is a breakdown of the field’s composition, qualification pathways, and notable names, followed by a concise reference table and bullet points to highlight how the field was assembled and how similar major championship fields are typically constructed.
How the 2018 PGA Championship Field Was Constructed
The PGA Championship field is one of the largest among major championships, with 156 players filling 20 categories of eligibility. These categories include recent major champions, winners of PGA and other professional tours, top finishers in the previous year’s PGA Championship, world ranking leaders, and qualifiers from sectional and online processes. The goal is to assemble the strongest, most representative field while maintaining competitive balance for both established stars and emerging players.
Key Eligibility Categories
The field draws from multiple overlapping pools: major champions and recent PGA winners, leaders on the PGA Tour and European Tour, Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup performers, top-ranked golfers via world rankings, and sectional and final qualifying survivors. Each category is designed to reward consistent high-level performance over a rolling window of results, ensuring both pedigree and current form influence selection.
Notable Players in the 2018 Field
The 2018 PGA Championship featured a mix of established stars and rising contenders. Among those present were recent major winners, FedExCup leaders, and top-ranked international players. The field balanced experience with youth, and included multiple players with prior major performances, career wins on tour, and Ryder Cup records.
| Attribute | Verified Detail | Source Type |
|---|---|---|
| Total Players | 156 | Official PGA Championship media guide |
| Qualification Categories | 20 | PGA Championship exemption policy |
| Venue | Mayakoba El Camaleón Golf Course, Playa del Carmen, Mexico | 2018 PGA Championship official site |
| Dates | August 9–12, 2018 | Tournament records |
| Champion | Brooks Koepka (271, −13) | Official results |
Qualification Pathways to the Field
Players reached the 2018 field through several distinct but complementary routes. The largest portion earned spots via PGA Tour and European Tour performance, world rankings, or by winning other sanctioned events. Sectional and final qualifying offered opportunities for golfers outside those top circles, while sponsor exemptions and past champion entries added experienced names. Understanding these pathways clarifies how modern major championship fields maintain depth and international diversity.
- Winners of the 2017 PGA Championship
- Top finishers at the 2017 PGA Championship
- Recent major champions within the prior five years
- Top 30 on the 2017 FedExCup points list
- Top 50 on the Official World Golf Ranking as of August 6, 2018
- Winners of PGA Tour events between the 2017 PGA Championship and the 2018 field deadline
- Winners of European Tour, Japan Golf Tour, Asian Tour events within eligibility windows
- Sectional and final qualifying survivors
Interpreting the Structure
The design of the 2018 PGA Championship field illustrates how majors aim to reward multiple forms of excellence: past success (recent majors and PGA wins), current performance (season-long points and world ranking), and earned opportunity (qualifying). By including top international players alongside top Americans, the field reflects the global nature of modern professional golf. This layered eligibility framework helps ensure competitive depth and broad appeal while preserving the prestige associated with major championships.
Field Composition at a Glance
| Category | Count or Example | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Total Players | 156 | Full field size |
| Major Champions (recent) | Multiple | Included via exemption |
| Top FedExCup Finishers | Top 30 | From previous season |
| World Ranking Entries | Top 50 as of cutoff | Official World Golf Ranking |
| Qualifiers (Sectional + Final) | Multiple spots | Local and final Q-School events |
Key Takeaways
- The 2018 PGA Championship field contained 156 players drawn from 20 eligibility categories.
- Qualification relied on a mix of past performance, current season results, and world rankings.
- The venue, Mayakoba El Camaleón in Mexico, marked one of the few majors held outside the United States in that era.
- Brooks Koepka won his second consecutive PGA Championship with a dominant −13 performance.
- The structure illustrates how major championships balance pedigree, form, and representation to build competitive and diverse fields.
Relationship to Other Major Championships
Compared with The Masters, U.S. Open, and The Open Championship, the PGA Championship maintains one of the largest and most flexible exemption lists. While each major reserves spots for recent winners, top rankings, and tour leaders, the PGA Championship typically emphasizes PGA Tour and sectional qualifying, contributing to a field that can feature more career winners and internationally diverse players. This approach reflects a broader eligibility philosophy designed to keep the field deep while honoring established excellence.
Evergreen Context for Modern Major Fields
Understanding the 2018 PGA Championship field offers a blueprint for interpreting how any major championship constructs its field. Though player names and venues change year to year, the eligibility pathways, ranking cutoffs, and balance of past success versus current form remain consistent themes. For long-term analytical purposes, this structure makes it possible to compare fields across eras and to anticipate how changes in qualification policy might reshape future major championship fields.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are concise answers to common questions about how the 2018 PGA Championship field was built and who was included.
- How many players were in the 2018 PGA Championship field? 156.
- How were players selected? Through a combination of major and PGA wins, tour performance, world rankings, qualifying events, and sponsor exemptions.
- Were international players included? Yes, the field featured top-ranked golfers from multiple countries, reflecting the event’s global eligibility criteria.
- Does the PGA Championship use sectional qualifying? Yes, sectional and final qualifying are traditional pathways into the field.
- Was the 2018 field considered deep? Yes, the field was widely regarded as deep, with multiple former champions and top-ranked players in attendance.
Summary
The 2018 PGA Championship field exemplified how a major championship can combine past achievement, current season performance, and broad eligibility to create a deep, competitive field. By examining qualification categories, notable participants, and the event’s venue and timing, one gains a durable framework for understanding how future PGA Championships and similar majors are constructed. This evergreen explanation remains relevant for analyzing player entry strategies and major championship field dynamics long after 2018.