US EditionMasters Will Take Winners of Six National Opens and Eliminate Invitations to PGA Tour Fall Winners
The new system invites winners of six historic national opens worldwide to the 2026 Masters, removing automatic entry for PGA Tour fall event winners to enhance global diversity.
- On Tuesday, Augusta National Golf Club and The R&A announced new qualification pathways offering immediate invitations to winners of select national opens worldwide.
- The qualification criteria for the 2026 Masters now include the Scottish, Spanish, Japan, Hong Kong, Australian and South African Opens, with winners earning invites to the April 9-12 tournament at Augusta National Golf Club.
- The change narrows PGA Tour qualification to individual winners of full-point events for the season-ending Tour Championship, so winners of PGA Tour fall events won't get direct Masters exemptions like last year.
- Organisers described the decision as aimed at strengthening international representation, with Fred Ridley noting The Masters Tournament's commitment to diverse invitees and Mark Darbon praising The Open Qualifying Series' global reach.
- Winners of six national Opens will be guaranteed Masters invites from next year, though no direct qualification exists for LIV Golf League players, organisers said.
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Masters Tournament announces changes to qualification criteria
AUGUSTA (WJBF) - Augusta National Golf Club and The R&A announced jointly on Tuesday plans to align aspects of the qualification criteria for the Masters Tournament and The Open, awarding invitations to winners/top finishers of select national opens beginning immediately. According to a news release from Augusta National Communications, the approach builds on The R&A’s longstanding and successful Open Qualifying Series and will ensure strong int…
Los Angeles Times
Independent EspañolThe Masters made an unusual change in their ranking criteria by eliminating invitations to the winners of the PGA Tour in the fall and joined the R&A to recognize the winners of six national openings on each main tour of the world.
Masters and British Open to offer more exemptions for national open winners
Augusta National Golf Club and The R&A on Tuesday jointly announced new qualification pathways into the Masters and British Open, offering invitations to winners from select national opens around the world.The move by golf's most prestigious tournament organisers aims to strengthen international representatio
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