One of the most exclusive fields in the world of golf gathers later today at an event that one previous winner described as the “first Major Championship of the year”, and there’s a high chance you’ve never heard of it.
This prestigious event doesn’t feature on the PGA, DP World Tour or LIV Golf League, it doesn’t even award any World Ranking points, but the Seminole Pro-Member is a tournament every professional wants to receive an invite to.
Annually held the day after the PGA Tour’s stop in nearby Palm Beach Gardens, the event welcomes an elite crop of pros, celebrities and billionaire businessman to compete at the ultra-exclusive Seminole Golf Club.
Similarly to Augusta National, the club has a very strict members policy, but unlike the host of the Masters Tournament, there is a certain mystique around Seminole with the Pro-Member not shown on TV.
In fact, Seminole Golf Club only made its TV debut four years ago when the TaylorMade Driving Relief Skins Game was broadcast from there.
The tournament itself is made up of 90 pairings playing the better-ball format, with leaderboards for gross and net titles.
Mark Flaherty teamed up with Patrick Cantlay to win the Gross competition last year, while Jessica Korda and Mike Troy got their hands on the Net trophy.
This year’s field includes Rory McIlroy, whose dad Gerry is a Seminole member, Ernie Els, Justin Thomas, Collin Morikawa, NFL star Tom Brady and a certain Tiger Woods, who will be making his debut in the event.
The event’s invitees would blow away the strength of field at many tournaments on the 2024 PGA Tour schedule.
LIV players not welcome
For the second successive year there will be no LIV players in the field, with Jimmy Dunne, the president of Seminole and a Director on the PGA Tour Policy Board, making the decision not to invite LIV players last year.
“We are doing what we have always done,” Dunne told Golfweek ahead of last year’s edition.
“PGA Tour players get the first priority. This event has always been supported by the PGA Tour. We try to make this a special and unique day for tour players.”
Instead, the likes of Jon Rahm, Cameron Smith and Dustin Johnson will be travelling to Hong Kong for LIV Golf’s fourth tournament of the year.
