Even for a guy who played a few seasons on the PGA Tour, making the field for the Verizon Heritage through the annual club pro qualifier ranked as a thrill for Doug Weaver.

And he was none too happy when that opportunity to qualify was taken away this season.

"It was disappointing, knowing the intent of the qualifying is to grow the game of golf. And that intent was forgotten in this ruling," Weaver said. "However, knowing the competitiveness of the PGA Tour, I understand how each player really values each opportunity to get into a tournament. They view it as a spot that was given up that shouldn't have been."

Weaver played on the PGA Tour in the early 1980s. Then, he twice made the Heritage through a qualifier conducted by the Carolinas PGA Section for Class A club professionals and held at Wexford Golf Club. The top two finishers in that one-day, 18-hole tournament earned a spot in the Heritage field each April, and Weaver counts among his fondest memories being greeted by his son after shooting a qualifying score.

"He ran about 30 yards and jumped into my arms," said Weaver, who qualified in 2000 and 2002. "It was just an excitement that he enjoyed, as well as the community. The people at Wexford and the people of Hilton Head enjoy cheering on their local favorites."

Weaver, who works for Palmetto Dunes, is among several local pros who have played in the Heritage in recent years. Secession Golf Club's Mike Harmon and former Belfair assistant Tony Branham are others.

Club pros still have a crack at the Heritage -- the tournament will still reserves a spot for the reigning Carolinas PGA Section points champion, which was won in 2007 by Curt Sanders of Eagle Point Golf Club in Wilmington, N.C.

The number of berths made available to PGA professionals was reduced this season after talks between the organization and the PGA Tour, which was concerned about the competitiveness of its fields, according to Andy Pazder, the PGA Tour vice president of competitions.

"It's two more players that will get into the tournament off our eligibility list instead," Pazder said. "Most likely, it will be someone who is a top-125 player or someone at the very top part of the Nationwide Tour."

Most of the recent qualifiers at the Heritage have not been terribly successful.

Kelly Mitchum of Pinehurst, N.C., is the only club professional to have survived the cut in the past five events at Harbour Town. In 2007, he was tied for 28th after a third-round 68, but closed with a 76 in the final round, knocking him back to a tie for 44th.

Mitchum, though, would still have been allowed to play last year because he was the section champion in 2006 and therefore didn't have to qualify at Wexford.

"We felt the spots would be better allocated for our members, given the importance of playing opportunities for them," Pazder said. "Our members are more competitive. And the recent playing performance of the qualifiers was not very good. That was a factor in the decision."