Triple Major winning Padraig Harrington could be forced to draw on a special one-time exemption if he is to compete full time on next year’s PGA Tour.

After missing the halfway cut in this week’s 96th PGA Championship, Harrington was headed to Greensboro in North Carolina and needing to finish top-two in the $5.3m Wyndham Championship if he is to retain full tour membership rights for the start of the up-coming 2014/15 PGA Tour wraparound schedule.

Harrington has been competing full-time on the PGA since 2007 and the year he captured the Open Championship at Carnoustie.

He earned a five-year Tour exemption in winning a first Major Championship and that was extended when he won the 2008 Open and the 2008 PGA Championship.

Padraig Harrington missed the 2014 PGA Championship cut and now heads to Greensboro needing to finish top-two to retain his PGA Tour card for the upcoming 2014/15 PGA Tour season. (Photo – Eoin Clarke/www.golffile.ie)

However that exemption ended last year but then Harrington finished 116th on the PGA Tour money list in 203 that ensured he could compete this year.

Arriving at Valhalla, Harrington  was ranked 263rd in the world but 188th on the money list with PGA Tour earnings this year of $169,175.

It has been Harrington’s poorest money-earning year in 14 money-earning PGA Tour seasons.

However it is not all bad news for Harrington with the PGA Tour’s informed John Bush indicating there is a number of doors open to the Irishman to remain on the PGA Tour.

Firstly, he can avail himself of a one-time and one year exemption under Category 10A of the PGA Tour rules given he is inside the top-50 on the all-time ‘Career Money’ list.

Four players did that this season and they were Stephen Ames, Mark Calcavechhia, Fred Funk and Mike Weir.

Also there a Category 10B for those players among the top-25 earnings that also may elect this special one time exemption.

Harrington is currently 36th overall in money earned on the PGA with $22.5m in prize money so if he should drop outside the top 125 this coming week on the 2014/15 money list then that option is open to him.

As well, John indicated if Harrington finished from 126th to 150th on the money list he would get a limited number of starts on next year’s Tour.

But if Harrington does not take up the Category 10 option, and if he should not end his season among those placed 126th to 150th then the soon-to-be 53-year old will have to rely on invitations to be competing Stateside.