’Tis The Season… Masters Run-In Has Officially Started As Players Receive Golf’s Greatest Invitation

The best piece of mail in golf is being received by the world's best players as Masters invites from Augusta National are starting to arrive

Masters invites
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Paul Higham
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It's that time of year again, when excitement builds for that special delivery - no, not Santa delivering Christmas presents, but the arrival of those treasured invites to the 2024 Masters.

Augusta National has been sending out their famous invitations to play in next year's Masters, and they're being gratefully received by the likes of Tyrrell Hatton and Matt Fitzpatrick.

Even players such as the English pair who have driven down Magnolia Lane on numerous occasions still get that buzz of excitement when the envelope arrives.

And Masters invites are even more precious this year as there's set to be the smallest number of them being sent out since 1985 with the field predicted to be under 80.

The Masters has traditionally had fields ranging between 85 to 100 players, with 88 competing for the Green Jacket this year - which was of course eventually won by Jon Rahm.

The smallest ever Masters field is 42, which occurred in 1938 and 1942, while the largest is 110, seen in 1962, but 2024 is set to be on the smaller side.

Eric Cole will be even more thrilled to receive his invite as he'll make his Masters debut next year - as will Denmark's Nicolai Hojgaard who will scrape in as the World No.50.

Getting that Masters invite will also be a big moment for Ludvig Aberg, who gets in after his PGA Tour victory this year during an amazing start to his professional career.

Already a winner on the DP World Tour, PGA Tour and in the Ryder Cup, Aberg will not only make his Masters debut but play in his very first Major when he makes the trip to Augusta in April.

And just to get everyone in the mood, Augusta officials have posted a video on social media of their famous invites - reminding fans that "spring is just around the corner" and the first Major of 2024 is not too far away.

There's also a warming video of the famous Butler Cabin fireplace looking particularly festive with a roaring flame - and if you're particularly taken with the seven then check out the YouTube video - which is a full one hour long!

Paul Higham
Paul Higham
Contributor

Paul Higham is a sports journalist with over 20 years of experience in covering most major sporting events for both Sky Sports and BBC Sport. He is currently freelance and covers the golf majors on the BBC Sport website.  Highlights over the years include covering that epic Monday finish in the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor and watching Rory McIlroy produce one of the most dominant Major wins at the 2011 US Open at Congressional. He also writes betting previews and still feels strangely proud of backing Danny Willett when he won the Masters in 2016 - Willett also praised his putting stroke during a media event before the Open at Hoylake. Favourite interviews he's conducted have been with McIlroy, Paul McGinley, Thomas Bjorn, Rickie Fowler and the enigma that is Victor Dubuisson. A big fan of watching any golf from any tour, sadly he spends more time writing about golf than playing these days with two young children, and as a big fair weather golfer claims playing in shorts is worth at least five shots. Being from Liverpool he loves the likes of Hoylake, Birkdale and the stretch of tracks along England's Golf Coast, but would say his favourite courses played are Kingsbarns and Portrush. 

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