Lucas Glover concluded the year ranked 50th in the world, securing his spot as one of nine players invited to compete in the upcoming Masters Tournament.
This addition increases the overall player field to 85, which is eight more than the 77 players eligible at the same time last year.
The Masters selects the top 50 players from the Official World Golf Ranking at the end of the year, and also includes those ranking in the top 50 who haven’t been invited—a list generated one week before the tournament set for April 10-13.
This year’s field boasts the highest number of players since the Masters typically maintains a smaller roster than the other major tournaments.
Traditionally, Augusta National aims to keep the field under 100 participants to enhance the unique experience it offers.
The last time the tournament had more than 100 players was in 1966, with a total of 103 participants, while 89 players participated this year.
Glover had fluctuated in and out of the top 50 in recent weeks. The ranking system relies on a two-year weighted points formula, where older points gradually diminish in importance.
The highest-ranked player without an existing invitation is Tom Kim, sitting at No. 21, alongside others such as Nick Dunlap, Max Greyserman, Rasmus Hojgaard, Jason Day, Corey Conners, Denny McCarthy, and Min Woo Lee, all of whom have qualified via their world rankings.
Both McCarthy and Lee have now earned their spots in the Masters for the second consecutive year, despite not securing any victories on the PGA Tour.
Last year, four players from the pool of 77 who were eligible managed to secure invitations by winning PGA Tour events in the fall. In contrast, this year, all eight winners of the fall tournaments had yet to qualify when they achieved their victories.
Among these winners, five—McCarthy, Yu, Echavarria, Campos, and McNealy—will be making their debuts at the Masters.
Looking ahead, the PGA Tour will revert to its traditional calendar format in 2024, featuring numerous prominent events, including the Olympics.
It’s notable that many top players chose to sit out of any PGA Tour events during the last quarter of the year.
In addition to the current list of qualifiers, the Masters will also welcome the winner of the Latin America Amateur Championship, any PGA Tour event offering full FedEx Cup points, and the top 50 players from the March 31 world ranking.
A total of 14 tournaments will provide invitations to the Masters.
Augusta National may also extend special invitations, as they did last year when they invited three players, including Joaquin Niemann from LIV Golf due to his impressive performance at the Australian Open.
Thorbjorn Olesen from Denmark also received a special invitation after competing mainly on the European Tour, as Augusta typically favors players with fewer access opportunities to enter the tournament.
One notable player who narrowly missed out on the top 50 is Nicolai Hojgaard, who finished with a score of 76 on the final day of Augusta this year, placing him tied for 16th.
Despite his Ryder Cup experience in 2023, he fell short by just one shot from the qualifications for the Masters based on finishing among the top 12.
His twin brother, Rasmus Hojgaard, however, will make his first appearance at the event in April.
This version clarifies that nine players secured their invitations based on their world ranking. Justin Rose had already qualified due to his runner-up finish in the British Open.
