Time is running out to qualify for The Masters, with Ryder Cup players, former FedExCup champions and plenty of notable names among those chasing a late invite to Augusta National.
There are currently 85 players in the field for the opening men’s major of the year, live from April 11-14 on Sky Sports, where Jon Rahm returns to defend his title and Scottie Scheffler arrives as pre-tournament favourite.
Players only have two PGA Tour events left to secure a spot for The Masters, with the winners of the Texas Children’s Houston Open and Valero Texas Open – providing they’re not already exempt – automatically earn an invite.
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Nick Dougherty believes Scottie Scheffler, Jon Rahm and Rory McIlroy will all be competing to wear the green jacket in Augusta and hopes McIlroy can complete a career grand slam to write his name in history
Those inside the world’s top 50 after this week’s event at Memorial Park Golf Course will also get to feature in The Masters, with several players having the opportunity to guarantee their qualification via that method.
Which players have the best chance?
Former BMW PGA Championship winner Byeong Hun An is the highest-ranked player not officially yet listed in the field, although the world No 42 won’t drop out of the world’s top 50 this week and therefore will secure an invite.
The Korean started the year outside the world’s top 60 but followed a fourth at The Sentry by finishing runner-up at the Sony Open earlier in the season, with another top-10 finish at the Arnold Palmer Invitational earlier this month helping him secure a return to The Masters.
Everyone else inside the world’s top 50 is already in the field for The Masters, as are the next four in the world rankings, with Tom Hoge (world No 57), Mackenize Hughes (No 63) and former Ryder Cup winner Alex Noren (No 66) among those in action this week looking to earn a late major invite.
Alex Noren missed the cut at The Masters last year
Hoge would need a top-five finish in Houston to have a chance of making it into the top 50, while Hughes and Noren will likely need to end the week inside the top two to have a mathematical chance of securing a spot via that method.
Anyone else who can still make The Masters?
Everyone else in action in Houston will need a win to qualify for The Masters, with Keith Mitchell (No 71) and Germany’s Stephan Jaeger (No 72) the next two in the world rankings who would require a victory.
Ryder Cup winner Robert MacIntyre is in danger of missing The Masters for the second successive season, having dropped down the world rankings after a slow start to the PGA Tour season, while English duo Aaron Rai and Matt Wallace also need a win to qualify.
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Butch Harmon picks his top five shots in the history of The Masters
Former FedExCup champion Billy Horschel (No 87) has posted top-12 finishes in two of his three PGA Tour starts but is on the verge of not making The Masters for the first time since 2017, having featured in every major since 2018.
Christiaan Bezuidenhout (No 55) and Brendon Todd (No 64) both sit out of this week and will need to win the Valero Texas Open from April 4-7 if they’re to feature at Augusta National, with that PGA Tour event where the final Masters spot will be available.
Matt Kuchar, former Open champion Francesco Molinari and Kevin Kisner – who has featured in every major since 2015 – are among the other notable names currently set to miss out, while others are struggling since dropping down the world rankings with moves to the LIV Golf League.
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Speaking on the Sky Sports Golf Podcast, Henni Koyak and Zane Scotland say Talor Gooch’s Masters asterisk comments should not be taken too seriously
There are 13 players from LIV Golf in the field, including Rahm, reigning PGA champion Brooks Koepka and two-time major winner Dustin Johnson, although Talor Gooch, Mito Pereira, Ian Poulter and Paul Casey all miss out.
Watch the Texas Children’s Houston Open all live on Sky Sports. Early coverage begins on Thursday from 12.30pm on Sky Sports Golf, ahead of full coverage from 8pm. The Masters is then exclusively live from April 11-14 exclusively on Sky Sports. Stream the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, majors and more with NOW.
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