13 Players, Including Alex Noren, Michael Kim, Min Woo Lee, Earn 2026 Masters Invites via OWGR.

The competitor roster for the 2026 Masters tournament now includes 86 participants. Individuals who concluded the 2025 calendar year within the top 50 positions of the Official World Golf Rankings secured entry into the initial major golf event of the 2026 campaign. Thirteen golfers gained their spots at Augusta National Golf Club this way for the competition scheduled for early April. Among them, Ryan Gerard narrowly qualified at the last possible moment by placing second at the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open on the DP World Tour.

Beginning the week ranked 57th in the OWGR, Gerard advanced to the 46th position despite his playoff defeat, thereby joining the group of players listed below who secured invitations to Augusta National. A minimum fourth-place result was required for him to gather the requisite points. Based on forecasts for the 52nd week of the global rankings, Sam Stevens is predicted to be the final qualifier at 50th, narrowly surpassing Canadian golfer Taylor Pendrith, who is expected to be just outside the cut-off.

Players to earn Masters invitations (week 51 rankings)

The organizing committee at Augusta National revised the qualification stipulations for the 2026 Masters, discontinuing the automatic inclusion of champions from FedEx Cup Fall tournaments. While this modification had no impact on Michael Brennan or Sami Valimaki, other victors from the PGA Tour’s autumn series, who had not previously secured their places, were not as fortunate.

Instead of those victors, invitations were extended to winners of national open championships globally. Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen emerged triumphant at the Australian Open, Tom McKibbin claimed victory at the Hong Kong Open, and Marco Penge succeeded at the Spanish Open, all earning their entry into the competition.

Brennan’s ranking in the Official World Golf Rankings significantly improved due to his performance on PGA Tour Americas and his triumph at the Bank of Utah Championship, which secured him full-time playing rights on the PGA Tour. Prior to his win, he was slated to compete on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2026 – the same circuit where Keefer excelled in 2025, enabling him to ascend into the OWGR’s top 50.

Both of these golfers are slated to participate in the Masters for the first time. In contrast, Si Woo Kim stands as the most seasoned participant to qualify via world rankings, attributed to his strong performance (a top-five finish) at the Australian Open. Kim’s appearance at Augusta National in April will signify his ninth participation in this prestigious event.

The contingent of 86 competitors still counts Tiger Woods among its members; he is scheduled to reach his 50th birthday prior to the start of 2026. The golf legend, a 15-time major victor, was absent from all tournaments in 2025 following a ruptured Achilles tendon and undergoing a seventh surgical procedure on his back. At the Hero World Challenge, he commented that his recuperation period has extended beyond his expectations, and he had recently received clearance to practice chipping and putting.