On Tuesday, Augusta National Golf Club and The R&A jointly revealed a plan to unify parts of the qualifying criteria for their distinguished tournaments—the Masters and The Open. Starting in 2026, both prestigious events will include winners from selected national opens across various international tours.
“The Masters Tournament has long recognized the significance of having international representation among its invitees,” said Fred Ridley, chairman of Augusta National. “We, along with The R&A, have a shared commitment to the global game and are proud to work together. Today’s announcement strengthens our organizations’ collective vision of rewarding top talent around the world who excel in prestigious national open championships. We hope this formal recognition shines a bright light on these players and the events they will represent at the Masters and The Open, starting next year.”
The six tournaments incorporated into the qualification criteria are:
- Scottish Open
- Spanish Open
- Japan Open
- Hong Kong Open
- Australian Open
- South African Open
The winners of these tournaments will receive invitations to participate in both the Masters and The Open for the following year.
Additionally, Augusta National invites Players Championship winners for three years post-victory, while champions of other major championships enjoy a five-year qualification period. Notably, Masters winners can return to the tournament indefinitely. The announcement for the qualifying criteria for the 2026 Masters has already been made, with The Open’s qualifying series schedule and exemption list set to be unveiled in September.
“We take great pride in the range of qualification routes we offer to players around the world through The Open Qualifying Series,” explained Mark Darbon, chief executive of The R&A. “We share the same goal as Augusta National to provide access to both The Open and the Masters to players competing in national opens, thereby highlighting and enhancing our sport in those regions. This initiative will create an outstanding opportunity for athletes across the globe to qualify and we believe it will continue to enrich the competitive fields in both major championships.”
