Every fall, seven PGA Tour professionals had earned exemption into the following year’s Masters Tournament, via winning during the PGA Tour fall season.
That is no longer the case.
Instead, the Masters will give six direct exemptions to winners of different national opens: namely the Scottish Open, Spanish Open, Japan Open, Hong Kong Open, Australian Open and the South African Open.
Masters chairman Fred Ridley announced the rather large change in player exemptions on Tuesday morning in a joint statement with the R&A, per Sports Illustrated’s Bob Harig.
“The Masters Tournament has long recognized the significance of having international representation among its invitees,” said Ridley in a statement.
“We, along with the R&A, have a shared commitment to the global game and are proud to work together. Today’s announcement strengthens our organizations’ collective vision of rewarding top talent around the world who rise to the top of historic national open championships. We hope this formal recognition shines a bright light on these players and the events they will represent at the Masters and The Open, beginning next year.”
Despite no longer earning an automatic berth into Augusta National, the winners during the FedEx Cup Fall events can still gain entrance if they sit inside the top 50 of the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR) at years end, or the week prior to the tournament.
Additionally, the Masters sent out a list of 26 exemption categories. One such category states that any player winning a PGA Tour event “that award a full-point allocation (FedEx Cup points) applied to the season-ending Tour Championship” would receive invitations.
26 Masters Tournament Exemptions
1. Masters Tournament Champions (Lifetime)
2. U.S. Open Champions (Honorary, non-competing after five years)
3. The Open Champions (Honorary, non-competing after five years)
4. PGA Champions (Honorary, non-competing after five years)
5. Winners of the Players Championship (Three years)
6. Current Olympic Gold Medalist (One Year)
7. Current U.S. Amateur Champion (7-A) (Honorary, non-competing after one year) and the Runner-up (7- B) to the current U.S. Amateur Champion
8. Current The Amateur Champion (Honorary, non-competing after one year)
9. Current Asia-Pacific Amateur Champion (One year)
10. Current Latin America Amateur Champion (One year)
11. Current U.S. Mid-Amateur Champion (One year)
12. Current NCAA Division I Men’s Individual Champion (One year)
13. The first 12 players, including ties, in the previous year’s Masters Tournament
14. The first 4 players, including ties, in the previous year’s U.S. Open
15. The first 4 players, including ties, in the previous year’s The Open Championship
16. The first 4 players, including ties, in the previous year’s PGA Championship
17. Individual winners of PGA Tour events that award a full-point allocation applied to the season-ending Tour Championship
18. Those qualifying and eligible for the previous year’s season-ending Tour Championship
19. Current Scottish Open Champion (One year)
20. Current Spanish Open Champion (One year)
21. Current Japan Open Champion (One year)
22. Current Hong Kong Open Champion (One year)
23. Current Australian Open Champion (One year)
24. Current South African Open Champion (One year)
25. The 50 leaders on the final Official World Golf Ranking for the previous calendar year
26. The 50 leaders on the final Official World Golf Ranking published during the week prior to the current Masters Tournament The Masters Committee, at its discretion, also invites international players not otherwise qualified.
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