New qualification criteria announced for 2024 Masters

At his annual press conference ahead of the 87th Masters, Augusta National Chairman, Fred Ridley has announced some new criteria changes in relation to qualification for the 2024 Masters Tournament.

There are no huge surprises in the announcement but certainly the inclusion of a permanent invitation for the NCAA Div 1 Men’s Champion, an exemption for which was given to Gordon Sargent this year, is a welcome addition and Chairman Ridley also announced that the NCAA Women’s Div 1 Champion will be afforded an invitation to the Augusta National Women’s Amateur.

Chairman Ridley commented: “These additions to our qualifications are in recognition of the impressive quality of today’s collegiate game, and in continued respect to Bobby Jones who believed in the importance of the best amateurs in the world competing at Augusta National.

“Beginning next year, the Masters Tournament invitation criteria will also include two revisions based on recent changes to the PGA TOUR.”

When quizzed if further changes to the qualification criteria regarding LIV players might be incoming following on from a December statement where Chairman Ridley commented that criteria were “always under review” he replied, “Well, I mean, I think when you look at the changes that I mentioned that are going to be in place for 2024, they are fairly administrative, I think would be the best word.

“The reason for that statement in December was really to sort of disabuse the notion that we might not be making any changes in the future. It wasn’t to specifically have you anticipate that we were going to make some major announcement, although that could be the case.

“We do look at our qualifications every year, but there are changes. Things are evolving, and we need to make sure that we are flexible in that regard. So I’m sure there will be changes in the future, but none beyond what I announced this morning.”

QUALIFICATION CRITERIA

1. Masters Tournament Champions (Lifetime)
2. US Open Champions (Honorary, non-competing after five years)
3. The Open Champions (Honorary, non-competing after five years)
4. PGA Champions (Honorary, non-competing after five years)
5. Winners of The Players Championship (Three years)
6. Current Olympic Gold Medalist (One Year)
7. Current US Amateur Champion (7-A) (Honorary, non-competing after one year) and the Runner-up (7-B) to the current US Amateur Champion
8. Current Amateur Champion (Honorary, non-competing after one year)
9. Current Asia-Pacific Amateur Champion (One year)
10. Current Latin America Amateur Champion (One year)
11. Current US Mid-Amateur Champion (One year)
12. Current NCAA Division I Men’s Individual Champion (One year)
13. The first 12 players , including ties, in the previous year’s Masters Tournament
14. The first 4 players, including ties, in the previous year’s US Open
15. The first 4 players, including ties, in the previous year’s Open Championship
16. The first 4 players, including ties, in the previous year’s PGA Championship
17. Individual winners of PGA Tour events that award a full-point allocation, from previous Masters to current Masters
18. Those qualifying and eligible for the previous year’s season-ending Tour Championship
19. The 50 leaders on the final Official World Golf Ranking for the previous calendar year
20. The 50 leaders on the Official World Golf Ranking published during the week prior to the current Masters Tournament

The Masters Committee, at its discretion, also invites international players not otherwise qualified.