The Masters will be making three changes to its list of entry qualifications for 2014, Augusta National chairman Billy Payne announced on Wednesday, a day ahead of the start of this year’s tournament.
- The top-12 finishers in the each year's tournament will be invited to return the following year. The top 16 had received return invitations;
- The top-four finishers in the U.S. Open, instead of the top eight, will receive invitations (it is the same criteria that Augusta National has used for the British Open and PGA Championships);
- The top-30 money winners on the PGA Tour at season's end will no longer automatically receive invitations (most of those golfers are already covered by other Masters qualification standards);
The new standards are expected to change the field by one to two golfers annually.
The changes were partially necessitated by Augusta National’s wish to continue to invite those who win full-point PGA Tour events. Changes made by the PGA Tour last year made all six tournaments in its fall schedule full-points events, beginning this year.
“All of us take great pride and pleasure in seeing a tournament winner beam with pride and excitement knowing that his victory had earned him an invitation to the Masters,” Payne said.
While it may be more difficult for players to gain entry to the Masters, those who do may get a greater opportunity to compete for a Green Jacket.
Payne also announced on Wednesday that the Masters, beginning this year, is expanding its cut line to the top 50 golfers and ties, plus those within 10 strokes of the leader. The tournament had used the top 44 and ties since 1962.
Competition committee chairman Fred Ridley said that change shouldn’t add more than a few groups to the fields for the third and fourth rounds. The change would be accommodated by adding tee times to the mornings of the final two rounds.
“We believe offering more playing opportunities for the participants over the weekend is a positive for everyone involved,” Payne said.
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