There are 12 ways that players are eligible for the PGA Championship. Here is the full breakdown of eligibility requirements set by the PGA of America:
Every former winner of the PGA Championship that is willing and able is eligible to compete in the PGA Championship.
Tiger Woods, Patrick Reed, Sergio Garcia, Danny Willett and Jordan Spieth hold exemptions in this category.
With Brooks Koepka winning the 2018 PGA Championship and the past two U.S. Open titles, Dustin Johnson and Martin Kaymer are the two golfers able to use this exemption.
Francesco Molinari, Henrik Stenson and Rory McIlroy earn their way into the field by way of their Open Championship victories.
Webb Simpson and Kim Si-woo are eligible for the 2019 PGA Championship.
The top 15 finishers and ties from the 2018 PGA Championship at Bellerive are eligible for the 2019 PGA Championship. Here was the final leaderboard from 2018.
Alex Beach won the 52nd PGA Professional Championship to lead a contingent of 20 PGA Professionals heading to Bethpage. Nine players will be making their debut in a PGA Championship. See the list of all players who qualified here.
The top 70 players who earned the most PGA Championship Points from the 2018 The Players Championship through the Wells Fargo Championship.
Playing Members of the 2018 United States and the European Ryder Cup Teams, provided that they remain with the top 100 of the Official World Golf Rankings as of May 5, 2019
Winners of PGA TOUR co-sponsored or approved tournaments, whose victories are considered official, from the 2018 The Players Championship to the 2019 PGA Championship.
The PGA of America reserves the right to invite additional players not included in the categories listed above.
If necessary to complete the field, those players beyond the top 70 players who have earned the most PGA Championship Points from the 2018 The Players Championship through the 2019 PGA Tour event ending May 5, 2019 in order of their position on such list.
The PGA Championship points list is compiled of Official Money earned in PGA TOUR events within the defined period in 8 and 12 above and is available on www.pgatour.com.