TL;DR SUMMARY
Any MGA member can register and come play some golf, but only medios who are both ELIGIBLE and QUALIFIED will be playing for The Belt. If that's cool with you, stop reading now and go purchase a package at MGAWC.com (registration will be obvious on that site once it opens August 1st).
HOW TO BE "ELIGIBLE" TO PLAY IN THE MGA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP.
If you’re a current MGA Member and played as a competitor in at least 3 MGA events this year AND have a minimum of 5 career events on your profile by the time round 1 of the MGAWC begins, you’re eligible.
If you do not meet these requirements, you are not eligible (because we don't feel we have enough scores to trust your handicap yet) and you cannot play as a competitor in the MGAWC, BUT… you can still come play for fun and you will still compete for the Gross Award!
WTF DOES “QUALIFIED” MEAN THEN?
It means you not only met the eligiblity qualifications, but you also either won a tournament in your home chapter or finished in the Top 10 on your Chapter’s money list. If you’re in that rarified air, you are guaranteed to be competing for The Belt right from the start of round 1.
I GUESS I DIDN’T QUALIFY THEN…
It’s OK, there's still hope! So long as you meet the eligibility requirements, you'll be playing in the LOIQ (Last Opportunity In Qualification).
HOW DOES THE LOIQ WORK?
The LOIQ takes place during round 1, with qualified and unqualified medios playing together in harmony as they normally would (so… poorly).
After round 1, the top 50% of the LOIQ field (and ties) receive Qualified status and will be playing for The Belt the next day!
The bottom 50% failed to qualify and will play round 2 as non-competing guests (likely having a better time than the competitors).