The road to The Masters is nearly complete, but time is running out for several high-profile players who have yet to secure their invitations to Augusta National this April.
With the 2025 Masters field featuring the world’s best golfers, many have qualified through a variety of pathways, including:
✅ Past Green Jacket winners
✅ Major champions from the last five years
✅ The top 50 in the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR)
✅ Winners of PGA TOUR events in the past year
✅ Five amateur players
However, with just six weeks left, some big names are still on the outside looking in. Let’s take a closer look at the notable players who have yet to punch their ticket to Augusta—and what they need to do to get there.
- Rickie Fowler
Current OWGR Ranking: 92nd
Rickie Fowler has had an up-and-down career over the past few years, and despite his resurgence in 2023, he now risks missing another Masters.
- Fowler returned to the winner’s circle at the Rocket Mortgage Classic in 2023.
- He contended at the 2023 U.S. Open and made the U.S. Ryder Cup team.
- However, 2024 has been a struggle; he dropped out of the world’s top 50.
Without a win on the PGA TOUR or a climb back into the top 50 before the final cutoff in March, Fowler will miss Augusta for the fourth time in five years.
- Luke Clanton
Current OWGR Ranking: 93rd
The World No.1 amateur has been making waves on the PGA TOUR, but surprisingly, he is not yet in the Masters field.
- Two runner-up finishes on the PGA TOUR in the past year.
- Recently won his fifth college title for Florida State University.
- Set to compete in the Cognizant Classic and Valspar Championship—where a win would secure his Masters debut.
Clanton’s only clear path to Augusta is winning a PGA TOUR event or cracking the top 50 in the world rankings before the final cutoff.
- Gary Woodland
Current OWGR Ranking: 169th
A past U.S. Open champion (2019), Woodland’s five-year exemption into The Masters has expired.
- He has played in 33 consecutive Majors, dating back to The Open in 2016.
- Recently returned to golf after undergoing brain surgery in 2023.
Woodland is one of the most respected players on Tour, and it would be an incredible comeback story if he were to win an event before the Masters and secure his return to Augusta.
- Adrian Meronk
Current OWGR Ranking: Not ranked due to LIV Golf
Despite being the top-ranked player in the 2025 LIV Golf Individual Standings, Meronk has no direct pathway into The Masters due to LIV Golf’s lack of world ranking points.
- Played in The Masters in 2023 and 2024 but has yet to qualify for 2025.
- Won his first LIV Golf event in Riyadh, which will help him qualify for The U.S. Open and The Open—but not Augusta.
Unless The Master’s committee offers unique invitations to LIV players, Meronk is set to miss out.
- Matt Wallace
Current OWGR Ranking: 72nd
A five-time DP World Tour winner, Wallace is in danger of missing Augusta for the fourth straight year.
- Won the 2023 Omega European Masters.
- Has not played The Masters since 2021.
Wallace still has a chance to qualify if he can string together a few strong finishes in the coming weeks.
- Daniel Berger
Current OWGR Ranking: 53rd
Berger’s return to the PGA TOUR after a long injury layoff has been impressive, but he is not yet safely in The Masters field.
- Finished T2 at the RSM Classic and WM Phoenix Open.
- Placed 12th at the Genesis Invitational last week.
He could climb into the top 50 before the cutoff date if he continues his strong form.
- Louis Oosthuizen
Current OWGR Ranking: 230th
A former Masters runner-up (2012), Oosthuizen’s lack of world ranking points from LIV Golf has left him outside the Masters field for the second consecutive year.
- Finished 6th in the LIV Golf standings last season.
- Played in only six OWGR-sanctioned events last year.
Unless The Master’s committee grants him a special exemption, Oosthuizen will miss Augusta for the second year.
- David Puig
Current OWGR Ranking: 83rd
Despite playing in three of the four Majors last year, Puig has yet to qualify for The Masters.
- A two-time winner on the Asian Tour.
- Sits outside the top 50 in the world rankings, making it difficult for him to qualify.
Puig has been one of the most promising young golfers in recent years. While 2025 may not be his Masters debut, he looks set for many future Augusta appearances.
- Neal Shipley
Current OWGR Ranking: Not applicable (Korn Ferry Tour)
Shipley made history in 2024 by winning both the Masters Silver Cup and U.S. Open Silver Medal, but now, as a professional on the Korn Ferry Tour, he has not yet qualified for The Masters.
- Has missed three of his first four Korn Ferry Tour cuts.
- Expected to work up to the PGA TOUR in the coming years.
Shipley’s Masters return may take a few more years, but his potential remains sky-high.
Other Notable Players Yet to Qualify for The Masters
Several other high-profile golfers still have work to earn a spot at Augusta National.
PGA TOUR & DP WORLD TOUR Players:
🔹 Stephan Jaeger
🔹 Eric Cole
🔹 Adam Hadwin
🔹 Patrick Rodgers
🔹 Taylor Moore
🔹 Andrew Novak
🔹 Thorbjørn Olesen
🔹 Justin Lower
🔹 Kurt Kitayama
🔹 Lee Hodges
🔹 Harry Hall
🔹 Erik van Rooyen
🔹 Victor Perez
🔹 Jake Knapp
🔹 Ryan Fox
🔹 Keith Mitchell
🔹 Charley Hoffman
🔹 Matt Kuchar
LIV Golf Players:
🔹 Dean Burmester
🔹 Peter Uihlein
🔹 Marc Leishman
Veteran Major Champions:
🔹 Webb Simpson
🔹 Francesco Molinari
Final Thoughts: Time is Running Out
With just six weeks remaining, the race to qualify for The 2025 Masters is reaching a critical stage. Some of the game’s biggest names are still in the hunt, but only a few spots remain.
The next few weeks will determine whether players on the bubble drive down Magnolia Lane or watch from home.
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