Amateurs will now be allowed to accept professional prize money – but only if the winnings are donated to a pre-designated charity that has been cleared by the event organizer.
Rule 3-1b was one of the most significant changes to the Rules of Amateur Status, which will take effect on Jan. 1
Previously, amateurs have been prohibited from playing for prize money. Under the new rule, amateurs will not jeopardize their status by participating in an event with prize money as long as they donate any winnings to a pre-determined charity. The change, the governing bodies said, arose because of a “growing number of charitable golf exhibitions organized around the world in aid of worthwhile causes and disaster relief agencies.