All former PGA Champions Paul Azinger, Rich Beem, Mark Brooks, John Daly, Steve Elkington, Pádraig Harrington (4,6,8), Davis Love III (8,10), Shaun Micheel, Phil Mickelson (3,6,8,9,10), Vijay Singh (8,10), David Toms (6,8), Bob Tway, Tiger Woods (2,3,4,8,10) (Eligible but not competing: Jack Burke Jr., Dow Finsterwald, Raymond Floyd, Doug Ford, Al Geiberger, Wayne Grady, David Graham, Hubert Green, Don January, John Mahaffey, Larry Nelson, Bobby Nichols, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Nick Price, Jeff Sluman, Dave Stockton, Hal Sutton, Lee Trevino, Lanny Wadkins) 2.

15 low scorers and ties in the 2008 PGA Championship Stuart Appleby (8), Aaron Baddeley, Ben Curtis (8,9), Ken Duke, Steve Flesch, Alastair Forsyth, Sergio García (8), Graeme McDowell, Prayad Marksaeng, Andrés Romero, Justin Rose, Jeev Milkha Singh, Henrik Stenson (8,10), Camilo Villegas (8,10), Charlie Wi (8) 7.

20 low scorers in the 2009 PGA Professional National Championship Sam Arnold, Ryan Benzel, Greg Bisconti, Keith Dicciani, Brian Gaffney, Bob Gaus, Scott Hebert, Todd Lancaster, Eric Lippert, Mitch Lowe, Mike Miles, Lee Rinker, Kevin Roman, Steve Schneiter, Mark Sheftic, Mike Small, Chris Starkjohann, Grant Sturgeon, Craig Thomas, Tim Weinhart 8.

Top 70 leaders in official money standings from the 2008 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational and Legends Reno-Tahoe Open to the 2009 Buick Open Robert Allenby, Stephen Ames, Woody Austin, Briny Baird, Cameron Beckman (10), Chad Campbell (9), K. J. Choi, Tim Clark, Ben Crane, Brian Davis, Luke Donald, Jason Dufner, Ernie Els, Jim Furyk (9), Brian Gay (10), Mathew Goggin, Retief Goosen (10), Paul Goydos, J. J. Henry, Charley Hoffman, Charles Howell III, Dustin Johnson (10), Jerry Kelly (10), Anthony Kim (9), Justin Leonard (9), Hunter Mahan (9), John Mallinger, Steve Marino, John Merrick, Kevin Na, Sean O'Hair (10), Jeff Overton, Pat Perez (10), Kenny Perry (9,10), Carl Pettersson (10), Ian Poulter, Brett Quigley, John Rollins (10), Rory Sabbatini (10), John Senden, Kevin Streelman, Steve Stricker (9,10), Kevin Sutherland, D. J. Trahan, Bo Van Pelt (10), Scott Verplank, Nick Watney (10), Bubba Watson, Mike Weir, Lee Westwood, Mark Wilson (10), Yang Yong-eun (10) 9.

The PGA of America reserves the right to invite additional players not included in the categories listed above[7] Darren Clarke, Fred Couples, Nick Dougherty, Johan Edfors, Gonzalo Fernández-Castaño, Ross Fisher, Hiroyuki Fujita, Richard Green, Anders Hansen, Søren Hansen, Peter Hanson, Ryuji Imada, Ryo Ishikawa,[8] Miguel Ángel Jiménez, Brendan Jones, Shingo Katayama, Martin Kaymer, Søren Kjeldsen, Tom Lehman,[9] Thomas Levet, Rory McIlroy, Francesco Molinari, Colin Montgomerie, Louis Oosthuizen, Rod Pampling, Corey Pavin, Álvaro Quirós, Charl Schwartzel, Adam Scott, Michael Sim, David Smail, Brandt Snedeker, Richard Sterne, Thongchai Jaidee, Anthony Wall, Steve Webster, Oliver Wilson, Chris Wood 12.

Vacancies are filled by the first available player from the list of alternates (those below 70th place in official money standings)[7] Thursday, August 13, 2009 Tiger Woods had the outright lead after a 67 on the first round, which included 5 birdies and no bogeys.

[13] Friday, August 14, 2009 Tiger Woods broke away from the pack with a run of three straight birdies on the back nine, finishing the round with a four-shot lead.

[15] Henrik Stenson, winner of that year's Players Championship, scored a round of 68 and was tied for fourth place along with U.S. Open champion Lucas Glover.

Yang sealed the victory by drawing a 210-yard (192 m) approach around a tree to within ten feet (3 m) on the final hole, setting up a birdie against Woods' closing bogey and a winning margin of three strokes.