actually, exemption determinations are solely the prerogative of the sponsor(s), with a few pga/usga limitations. many tournaments see those spots filled by local pros. i've worked the memorial tournament, honda classic, us open at shinnecock, and a few other small tournaments. trust me. many of those players who receive sponsors' exemptions are players you'll never, ever hear about.
while the pga is moving to make certification more stringent and university-based, it has been the case for a very long time that joe schmoe can become a pro if he can put together a couple decent rounds of golf. as you seem to know, there is much more involved, and this extra stuff is what separates the wheat from the chaff. i've met several assistant pros and head pros who could barely break 80 -- let alone 85. muirfield has a couple who, when i lived in columbus, were absolutely horrible. now, they would likely not receive a sponsor's exemption, but many decent but hardly proficient pros do receive sponsors' exemptions. you will see several very good pros receive sponsors' exemptions, for example, gore, wittenberg, and wie, but there are many, many others who couldn't hold a candle.
i have "been there, done that," too. i've met way too many pga pros who were decent single-digit handicappers but hardly any better.
