It’s one of professional golf’s greatest feelings – when that precious envelope with the Augusta National logo comes through the door.
It signals an invite to the Masters Tournament and a precious chance to tee it up at the year’s first major among the pine trees and azaleas.
Though the Masters is an invitational event, there are a number of different criteria to qualify – and the early spring often becomes a race as players try to book their spots.
Much like the other three major championships, Augusta National hasn’t restricted the playing rights of those who have moved to LIV Golf.
The US Open and The Open did quite the opposite. In 2025, the top LIV player who finished in the top three of LIV’s individual rankings who wasn’t already exempt got into the 2025 US Open, and this extended to the top five through LIV’s Dallas event for 2025 The Open.
The Masters and the PGA Championship haven’t added a LIV Golf category yet. The Masters can invite players when they see fit like they did with Joaquin Niemann, Ryo Hisatsune and Thorbjorn Olesen in 2025.
Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Charl Schwartzel, Sergio Garcia, Bubba Watson, Patrick Reed, and the 2023 champion Jon Rahm are among a handful of players eligible for the tournament from the LIV Golf roster, and they also attend the Champions Dinner as well.
Rory McIlroy completed the Grand Slam in 2025 after one of the most dramatic Masters tournaments ever. Despite making two double-bogeys in the final round, he reached a playoff with Justin Rose and won on the first playoff hole.
