The Masters 2022 field: Who has their major invite? How can players qualify for Augusta National? | Golf News
Dustin Johnson (left) and Hideki Matsuyama (right) won The Masters in 2020 and 2021 respectively
Who has qualified for The Masters? How do players secure an invite to Augusta National? We look at the field as it stands for the opening men’s major of the year.
Hideki Matsuyama returns as defending champion after becoming the first Asian recipient of the Green Jacket in last year’s contest, while Rory McIlroy will have another opportunity to complete golf’s career Grand Slam at Augusta National.
There are currently 98 players invited to the 2022 contest, including 14 past champions over the age of 50 not expected to compete, while it’s too early to know whether Tiger Woods will be far enough in his recovery from injury to tee it up at a venue where he won five times.
Tiger Woods’ last appearance in an official PGA Tour event was at The Masters in November 2020
How do players qualify for The Masters?
Players not currently with an invite can still secure qualification over the next few months, although they will need to either win a PGA Tour event by April 5 or be inside the world’s top 50 the week before The Masters.
Previous recipients of the Green Jacket get a lifetime invite back to Augusta National, while the winners of the other three men’s majors receive a five-year exemption and there’s a three-year exemption for those who win The Players.
Sergio Garcia claimed his maiden major title at The Masters in 2017
Those who finished inside the top-12 and ties during last year’s Masters get to return the following year, as do those who finish in a share of fourth or better at the PGA Championship, US Open and The Open.
Winners of PGA Tour events from April 2021 onwards and the 30 players who reached the PGA Tour’s season-ending Tour Championship all receive an invite, along with the world’s top 50 at the end of the year and the top 50 players the week before The Masters.
There are also six spots available via amateur competitions, providing the players don’t go professional before heading to Augusta, with both US Amateur finalists joined by the winners of The Amateur Championship, Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship, Latin America Amateur Championship and the US Mid-Amateur Championship.
Who currently has an invite?
The field won’t be officially confirmed until April, but here’s a look at the invitations as things stand (as of January 7):
(x) denotes amateurs
Abraham Ancer, Daniel Berger, Christiaan Bezuidenhout. Sam Burns, Patrick Cantlay, Paul Casey, Cameron Champ, Stewart Cink, Corey Connors, Fred Couples, Cam Davis, Bryson DeChambeau, Harris English, Tony Finau, Matt Fitzpatrick, Tommy Fleetwood, Sergio Garcia, Lucas Glover, Talor Gooch, Austin Greaser (x), Stewart Hagestad (x), Brian Harman, Padraig Harrington, Tyrrell Hatton, Lucas Herbert, Garrick Higgo, Harry Higgs, Max Homa, Billy Horschel, Viktor Hovland, Mackenzie Hughes, Sungjae Im, Trevor Immelman, Dustin Johnson, Zach Johnson, Takumi Kanaya, Si Woo Kim, Kevin Kisner, Brooks Koepka, Jason Kokrak, Bernhard Langer, K.H. Lee, Min Woo Lee, Marc Leishman, Shane Lowry, Sandy Lyle, Robert MacIntyre, Hideki Matsuyama, Rory McIlroy, Phil Mickelson, Guido Migliozzi, Larry Mize, Francesco Molinari, Collin Morikawa, Kevin Na, Keita Nakajima (x), Joaquin Niemann, Jose Maria Olazabal, Louis Oosthuizen, Ryan Palmer, James Piot (x), Jon Rahm, Patrick Reed, Justin Rose, Xander Schauffele, Scottie Scheffler, Charl Schwartzel, Adam Scott, Laird Shepherd (x), Webb Simpson, Vijay Singh, Cameron Smith, Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas, Erik van Rooyen, Bubba Watson, Mike Weir, Lee Westwood, Danny Willett, Matthew Wolff, Gary Woodland, Tiger Woods, Ian Woosnam, and Will Zalatoris.
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Nick Dougherty, Paul McGinley and Andrew Coltart look back at the best of the action from the final round of the 85th Masters at Augusta National
Past Champions over age 50 not expected to play in 2022: Tommy Aaron, Jack Burke Jr., Angel Cabrera, Charles Coody, Ben Crenshaw, Sir Nick Faldo, Raymond Floyd, Bob Goalby, Jack Nicklaus, Mark O’Meara, Gary Player, Craig Stadler, Tom Watson, and Fuzzy Zoeller.
Who is yet to secure an invite for Augusta?
Former world No 1 Jason Day and two-time major champion Martin Kaymer are among the notable names not yet in the field, along with 2018 Masters runner-up Rickie Fowler and former PGA champion Keegan Bradley.
European Ryder Cup stalwarts Ian Poulter and Henrik Stenson are yet to earn their spot for The Masters and Matt Kuchar is in danger of missing the event for the first time since 2009, with Victor Perez, Thomas Pieters and Matt Wallace some of the others still hoping to qualify for Augusta.
How can I watch The Masters on Sky Sports?
Sky Sports will once again be the home of The Masters this April, with round-the-clock coverage throughout tournament week on Sky Sports’ dedicated Masters channel from April 4-10.
