Dustin Johnson will be at Quail Hollow Club next week after all.
The two-time major championship winner and LIV Golf member earned a special exemption from the PGA of America to compete in the PGA Championship next week in North Carolina. Johnson’s previous exemption into the second major championship of the year — a five-year pass for his win at the Masters in 2020 — ended last year.
Johnson will be one of 16 LIV Golf members in the field at the PGA Championship next week, which is the same number as last year. The Saudi Arabian-backed circuit does not receive Official World Golf Rankings points from its events, which has made it increasingly difficult for its members to continue to qualify for the major championships.
The PGA of America automatically includes the top 70 golfers in PGA Championship points after The CJ Cup Byron Nelson into their field. The organization then usually adds all golfers inside the top 100 of the OWGR who have yet to qualify, all previous PGA Championship winners, winners of the last five major championships, the past three winners at The Players Championship and the top 15 finishers and ties from last year's PGA Championship, among other criteria, to fill out the 156-man field.
Johnson, who once climbed as high as No. 1 in the world, now sits at No. 751. He won 24 times on the PGA Tour before leaving for LIV Golf, though he’s missed the cut in four of his last nine major championship starts — including last month at Augusta National. He’s never won the PGA Championship, though he finished in second in back-to-back years in 2019 and 2020.
Johnson will be joined in the field by fellow LIV Golfers Bryson DeChambeau, Sergio Garcia, Tyrrell Hatton, Patrick Reed, Cam Smith, Joaquín Niemann, Phil Mickelson, Tom McKibbin, Richard Bland, Dean Burmester, Brooks Koepka, David Puig, Jon Rahm, Martin Kaymer and John Caitlin. Garcia, McKibbin, Niemann and Puig also received a special invitation from the PGA of America.
Rickie Fowler also received an invite to participate. Fowler’s first career PGA Tour win came at Quail Hollow in 2012, though the fan favorite has won just once in the past six years. The PGA of America allows all members of both Ryder Cup teams from 2023 into the event as long as they are ranked inside the top 100. Fowler is currently ranked No. 125.
Tiger Woods is not in the field next week, as he’s still recovering from a torn Achilles tendon. He’s expected to miss the rest of the season. John Daly, who won his second Wanamaker Trophy in 1991, is also not in the field.
There are two spots still open, reserved for the winner of both the Truist Championship and Myrtle Beach Classic this week on the PGA Tour.
The PGA Championship is set to kick off on May 15. Xander Schauffele edged out DeChambeau to grab a one-shot win last year in what was his first career major championship victory.
The full 2025 PGA Championship field
As of May 6, 2025
Ludvig ÅbergBen AnDaniel BergerBrian BergstolChristiaan BezuidenhoutAkshay BhatiaBrandon BingamanRichard BlandMichael BlockKeegan BradleyJacob BridgemanDean BurmesterSam BurnsBrian CampbellRafael CamposLaurie CanderPatrick CantlayJohn CatlinBud CauleyEugenio ChacarraAndre ChiWyndham ClarkEric ColeTyler ColletCorey ConnersCameron DavisJason DayBryson DeChambeauThomas DetryLuke DonaldJesse DroemerJason DufnerNick DunlapNico EchavarriaAustin EckroatHarris EnglishTony FinauMatthew FitzpatrickTommy FleetwoodRickie FowlerSergio GarciaBobby GatesRyan GerardLucas GloverMax GreysermanBen GriffinLarkin GrossAdam HadwinHarry HallBrian HarmanPadraig HarringtonTyrrell HattonRussell HenleyJustin HicksGarrick HiggoJoe HighsmithRyo HisatsuneLee HodgesTom HogeNicolai HøjgaardRasmus HøjgaardMax HomaBilly HorschelBeau HosslerViktor HovlandMackenzie HughesSungjae ImNic IsheeStephan JaegerDustin JohnsonTom JohnsonTakumi KanayaMichael KartrudeMartin KaymerJohn KeeferMichael KimSi Woo KimTom KimChris KirkKurt KitayamaPatton KizzireJake KnappGreg KochBrooks KoepkaThriston LawrenceMin Woo LeeRyan LenahanJustin LowerShane LowryRobert MacIntyreHideki MatsuyamaDenny McCarthyMatt McCartyMax McGreevyRory McIlroyTom McKibbinMaverick McNealyShaun MicheelPhil MickelsonKeith MitchellTaylor MooreCollin MorikawaKeita NakajimaRasmus Neergaard-PetersonDylan NewmanJoaquin NiemannAlex NorenNiklas NorgaardShaun NorrisAndrew NovakThorbjørn OlesenJohn ParryMatthieu PavonTaylor PendrithMarco PengeJ.T. PostonSeamus PowerDavid PuigJon RahmAaron RaiPatrick ReedDavis RileyPatrick RodgersJustin RoseXander SchauffeleScottie SchefflerAdam ScottVijay SinghCam SmithElvis SmylieJohn SomersBob SowardsJ.J. SpaunJordan SpiethEric StegerSam StevensSepp StrakaNick TaylorRupe TaylorSahith TheegalaJustin ThomasDavis ThompsonSanu VakunajuErik van RooyenDaniel Van TonderJhonattan VegasKarl VilipsJimmy WalkerMatt WallaceTimothy WisemanGary WoodlandCameron YoungKevin YuWill Zalatoris
