How do you qualify for the Masters field? Here’s a list of the criteria

There’s no tournament more anticipated than the Masters, and even for seasoned pros, scoring an invitation is reason for celebration.

But how does a player qualify for the Masters?

Though it’s a major championship, the Masters is also an invitational, so the tournament field is assembled at the discretion of the Masters Committee. That said, the Committee has established criteria for players to earn an invitation to compete at Augusta National.

How to qualify for the Masters

Win it!

Winning the Masters earns the champion a lifetime exemption into the field — the most generous exemption in the world of golf. Many former champions continue to play the Masters even though they are long past their prime. Earlier this year, 64-year-old Larry Mize announced that the 2023 Masters will be his last. This year will mark 40 consecutive Masters for Mize, who won his green jacket in 1987.

Win one of the other three majors

Players who win one of the other three majors (PGA Championship, U.S. Open and Open Championship) are awarded a five-year exemption into the Masters field.

Win the Players Championship

Winners of the Players Championship can enjoy a three-year exemption into the Masters.

Win Olympic gold

The Olympic gold medalist can enjoy a one-year exemption into the Masters field.

Instruction

Win (or finish runner-up) in an elite amateur tournament

Winners of the U.S. Amateur Championship, British Amateur, Asia-Pacific Amateur, Latin American Amateur and U.S. Mid-Amateur are invited to play the Masters. Traditionally, the U.S. Amateur runner-up is also invited.

Play well in the majors

The top-12 finishers (including ties) at each year’s Masters are invited back the following year if they are not otherwise exempt. For the other major championships, it’s the top 4 and ties.

Win a PGA Tour tournament

Winners of PGA Tour events that received full FedEx Cup points are eligible for a spot in the Masters.

Qualify for the Tour Championship

The 30 players who qualify for the PGA Tour’s Tour Championship are exempt into the Masters field the following year.

Be a Top-50 player

The top 50-ranked players in the Official World Golf Ranking as of January 1 every year earn an exemption into the Masters field.

Be a Top-50 player the week before the Masters

Any player who enters the top 50 of the Official World Golf Ranking and who is not otherwise exempt the week before each Masters gets an invitation to join the field.

Catch the Masters Committee’s attention

The Masters Committee also reserves the right to extend an invitation to players that they feel are deserving of a place in the field. This year, Japanese pro Kazuki Higa and reigning NCAA champion Gordon Sargent accepted special invitations.

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Golf.com Editor

As a four-year member of Columbia’s inaugural class of female varsity golfers, Jessica can out-birdie everyone on the masthead. She can out-hustle them in the office, too, where she’s primarily responsible for producing both print and online features, and overseeing major special projects, such as GOLF’s inaugural Style Is­sue, which debuted in February 2018. Her origi­nal interview series, “A Round With,” debuted in November of 2015, and appeared in both in the magazine and in video form on GOLF.com.

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