Win One Of These Six Golf Opens, And You’re Going To The Masters

Augusta National has decided to return to a qualification system that gives the winners of six national opens around the world invitations to the Masters, strengthening the tournament's international pathway for players seeking a place at the year's first major.

The Masters will once again use the R&A's Open Qualifying Series to determine the six national opens whose winners receive invitations. The tournaments are the Scottish Open, Spanish Open, Japan Open, Hong Kong Open, Australian Open and South African Open.

The decision restores a system that gives players competing outside the traditional top-level qualification routes a chance to earn a place at Augusta National. It also reinforces the Masters' long-standing emphasis on building an international field.

The R&A identified 15 tournaments last year as part of its Open Qualifying Series, including 12 national opens. The series provides qualification opportunities for the British Open to leading players who have not already secured an exemption.

The Masters, however, will select winners from only the six national opens that are also part of that qualifying series.

Tom Kim, who won the Scottish Open in July, is already exempt for the Masters. His victory therefore does not create an additional place through this route, although he would also have qualified by reaching the Tour Championship.

Masters chairman Fred Ridley said the tournament has a long history of assembling an international field and welcomed the opportunity to highlight golf's global reach.

The move also reflects a shared effort with the R&A to create more pathways for players from different parts of the world to qualify for golf's biggest championships.

Five of the six national opens will be played during the upcoming autumn period, while the South African Open is scheduled for March next year, completing the qualification calendar ahead of the Masters.

The restored pathway means players across Europe, Asia, Australia, Hong Kong and South Africa will have another direct opportunity to earn a place at Augusta through their national opens.