The Masters Is The Most Exclusive Of All Majors – So How Do You Qualify?

The Masters is unlike any other tournament for many reasons, not least its position in the calendar as the first Major of the year and the only one of the four to take place at the same venue, the famously exclusive Augusta National.

Part of that allure is also the fact it is the most exclusive of the four Majors, and has the smallest field. However, despite that, there are still 20 ways to qualify for the tournament without relying on a special invite.

A win at any of the other three Majors offers a guarantee of a spot at The Masters for the next five editions, while you can also claim a place at the next edition by finishing in the top four, or ties, in the previous year's PGA Championship, US Open or The Open.

A victory at The Players Championship the month before will also secure a spot at The Masters for the next three years, while any player who wins a PGA Tour event that awards a full point allocation to the season-ending Tour Championship between the previous Masters and the current one will also be added to the field.

Consistency on the PGA Tour is rewarded as well. So, any of the 30 players reaching the Tour Championship also has a spot for the following year if they hadn't already qualified. But what about players on other circuits?

There are options there too. While claiming a place in the world’s top 50 is getting harder for those beyond the PGA Tour, players above that cut-off in the final week of the calendar year rubber-stamp their place, while that also applies to those in the top 50 the week before The Masters.

There are also slots for the following year’s Masters for the US Amateur champion and runner-up as long as they remain amateurs. Nick Dunlap would have qualified via that route having won the 2023 edition, but he's in the field despite turning pro thanks to his win at The American Express. 

Invites are also handed out to The Amateur champion, the Asia-Pacific Amateur champion, the Latin America Amateur champion and the US Mid-Amateur champion. It's an Olympic year in 2024, too, so the gold medalist in the Games will also receive an invite for 2025 edition.

Starting in 2024, the reigning NCAA Division I individual also automatically qualifies so long as the player is still an amateur. This year, Fred Biondi would have taken advantage of that exemption, but he made the tough decision to turn professional instead, meaning he misses out.

Special invites can also be sent at the discretion of The Masters Committee, and this year, LIV golfer Joaquin Niemann was among three players to accept an invite, alongside Thorbjorn Olesen and Ryo Hisatsune.

For players only guaranteed a place for one year, or who are facing their final appearance before their exemption expires, there are two ways to take the uncertainty out of the equation for the following at during the event. The easiest is to finish in the top 12, or ties, at The Masters. 

Surely, though, the way to inspire most envy is by winning the tournament. After all, not only do those players get to wear the famous Green Jacket, but they needn’t worry about which qualifying route to consider for the following year, or any other for that matter. That's because champions can come back each year for life.

Below is a list of the ways to qualify for The Masters, per the official website.

The Masters Qualifying Criteria 2024

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 The 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 The 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 for the season-ending Tour Championship, from previous Masters to current Masters

18. Those qualifying 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