Irish Golf Desk

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Masters invitations for Olesen, Hisatsune and LIV Golf's Niemann

The Masters

Fred Ridley, Chairman of Augusta National Golf Club and the Masters Tournament, announced today that Denmark’s Thorbjørn Olesen, Japan’s Ryo Hisatsune and Chile’s Joaquin Niemann have accepted invitations to compete in the 2024 Masters.

“The Masters Tournament has a long-standing tradition of inviting leading international players who are not otherwise qualified,” Ridley said.

“Today’s announcement represents the Tournament’s continued commitment towards developing interest in the game of golf across the world. We look forward to welcoming each player to Augusta National this spring.”

Olesen will compete in his fourth Masters Tournament and his first since 2019. He made the cut in each of his three previous appearances at Augusta National, including a T-6 in his Tournament debut in 2013.

Last month, Olesen, 34, won in the United Arab Emirates, marking his third consecutive DP World Tour season with a victory. He has five top-10s in his last seven worldwide appearances.

Hisatsune will make his debut in the Masters this April. In November, he became the first Japanese player to be voted the DP World Tour’s Rookie of the Year.

The 21-year-old concluded the 2023 DP World Tour season ranked No. 10 following a campaign that included a French Open victory last September. Hisatsune’s recent highlights include a T-8 at the Australian Open in December and a T-11 in Palm Springs, Calif., last month.

Niemann, 25, is set to appear in his fifth Masters, where he has made the cut in three of his first four Tournaments, including a career-best T-16 in 2023.

He has top-five finishes in each of his three DP World Tour starts this season, including winning the Australian Open in a playoff last December.

Niemann’s first Masters came in 2018 while he was the reigning Latin America Amateur champion and the No. 1 ranked amateur in the world.

As of today, 83 players have been invited to compete in the 2024 Masters. Two qualification criteria remain active:

  • Winners of upcoming PGA Tour events that award a full-point allocation

  • The 50 leaders on the Official World Golf Ranking published during the week prior to the Tournament

The 2024 Tournament will mark the 88th playing of the Masters and is scheduled for April 8 – 14. For a complete list of invitees, please visit Masters.com.