I thought, based on the post, that even if you qualified you had to pay. I hear the newbies talking about sponsors and thought that they helped with entry fees. I don't know how much it would take to get started. MAybe sponsors pay for living expenses while one is trying to qualify and earn a payday.
Well, there are sponsors and there are sponsors.
It has not been uncommon for local businesses or businessmen to sponsor a promising player on the Tour, i.e., paying travel expenses and room-and-board, in return for a share of the palyer's winnings. But the player still has to qualify to play on the Tour, usually by going through the competition at the Qualification School in November / December each year. I think when Trevino first started he was sponsored by a car dealer in El Paso.
When Tiger left Stanford to turn pro, he played on 'sponsor's exemptions' in a number of tournaments. These are entries left to discretion of the tournament organizers, used to add a big draw, for instance Tiger Woods as a rookie or Michele Wie earlier this year. He was allowed up to ten of these for that season. Since he actually won one of these tournaments, he was qualified as a full member of the Tour for the next season and has been winning ever since.
Of course the other sponsors would be equipment and clothing manufacturers, but one has to establish oneself at least a little to get one of those deals, unless you're a certified phenom like Woods. Several years ago it was big news when Calloway ended their sponsorship of John Daly (he had walked out of rehab). Cost Daly about $2M per year!