With the conclusion of the PNC Championship on Sunday, golf’s offseason is officially over. And with the New Year on the horizon, attention has inevitably turned to the 2026 Masters.
And not just because it’s the most anticipated event of next season (and all others). This is a hot topic right now because yesterday a slew of pros earned their invite to the 2026 Masters.
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The list includes several 2025 PGA Tour winners, a member of Europe’s victorious Ryder Cup team and one of the most popular pros in the game today.
Here’s what you need to know.
Masters Invitations Secured Sunday via OWGR
The Masters features the smallest field of the four major golf championships. This is arguably the most sought after tournament invite in the game and the hardest to win.
A path to Augusta National is to finish the previous year in the top 50 of the Official World Golf Ranking.
The DP World Tour Mauritius Open, the final 2025 tournament awarding world ranking points, concluded at the Heritage Golf Club on Sunday. That means the year-end Top 50 list is locked.
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Among the top 50 players, 37 previously qualified for the 2026 Masters for various reasons. But 13 players on the roster didn’t already have invitations to Augusta National in April. Now they do.
Some names on the list might surprise you. Take Sami Valimaki (No. 38) and Michael Brennan (No. 34), for example. Both players won PGA Tour events this fall. Although players receive Masters invitations for most PGA Tour victories, not all Tour victories come with tee times at Augusta.
The 2025 RSM Classic (won by Valimaki) and the 2025 Bank of Utah Championship (won by Brennan) did not offer invitations to the 2026 Masters. Regardless, they have now punched their tickets to Magnolia Lane.
The same goes for Michael Kim. The 32-year-old Tour veteran is one of the most popular professional golfer accounts on X.com. Although he did not achieve his second PGA Tour victory in 2025, he won the DP World Tour French Open in September.
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He will finish the year ranked 36th in the official world golf rankings and will thus participate in the 2026 Masters, his third participation in the event.
Ryan Gerard famous trip around the world playing the Mauritius Open last week in a bid to sneak into the top 50 and earn an invitation to the Masters. He landed a runner-up that moved him from 57th to 46th in the OWGR.
The most surprising player on the list might be the highest-ranked player. Although it is ranked #11 in the OWGR, Alex Noren didn’t qualify for next year’s Masters until Sunday. Now he is.
Ryan Gerard, Jayden Schaper
Also among those who received invitations to the Masters on Sunday were a four-time Tour winner. Si Woo Kimanother winner of the Tour Min Woo Lee and European Ryder Cupper 2025 Rasmus Hojgaard.
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Sunday’s addition of 13 players increased the 2026 Masters field at about 86. One thing that could change this number is former champions who may or may not play. This includes Tiger wood.
Players currently on the outside still have opportunities to qualify for the 2026 Masters. Anyone who enters the top 50 by the end of March 2026 will also receive an invitation to the Masters, as will winners of PGA Tour events at the start of next season.
You can view the full list of new 2026 Masters invitations below.
Masters Domain 2026: New additions
Ryan Gerard
Max Greyserman
Alex Noren
Aaron Rai
Kristoffer Reitan
Michael Brennan
Michael Kim
Sami Valimaki
Rasmus Hojgaard
Min Woo Lee
Si Woo Kim
Johnny Keefer
Sam Stevens
The position These 13 Players Just Won Masters Invitations for 2026 appeared first on Golf.
