We are now only a week away Masters 2026 at Augusta National, and the field is almost set. A contender can still be added this week by winning the Valero Texas Open (see: Rickie Fowler), and we still don’t know if Tiger Woods will play.
However, on Sunday at the 2026 Texas Children’s Houston Open, five PGA Tour pros not previously qualified for this year’s Masters punched their tickets to Augusta National.
WHEREAS Gary Woodland did it emphaticallyfour other top pros earned their spots in a more precarious way: through the final Official World Golf Ranking pre-tournament update.
Here’s what you need to know.
The 5 players who qualified for the 2026 Masters on Sunday
Gary Woodland
Woodland is easily the best story of the season 2026. Lately, Woodland talked about his struggles with PTSD after brain surgery that derailed his career a few years ago.
He said he hoped the public admission would help him make progress in his recovery. And sometimes it did. The 2019 US Open champion dominated the Texas Children’s Houston Open to win his first title since that US Open.
The win also earned him a spot in the 2026 Masters, where he will make his first start since 2024.
Nicolai Hojgaard
Hojgaard made a name for himself by playing in the 2023 European Ryder Cup squad earlier leaving his twin brother Rasmus to take his place in 2025.
Heading into the Houston Open without a spot in the Masters, Hojgaard hoped to follow Woodland and earn his invitation that way.
;)
The most sought-after commodity items have a unique twist for 2026
Kevin Cunningham
But he had another path to reach Augusta: the Official World Golf Ranking. All players ranked in the OWGR Top 50 after this year’s Texas Children’s Houston Open earn spots in the 2026 Masters.
At number 47 to start the week, Hojgaard was in danger of being eliminated. Although a Sunday 71 left him five strokes behind Woodland, Hojgaard finished runner-up, which improved his OWGR ranking to 36th.
As a result, he safely won his place in the Masters, where he will be doing his third career start. He joins his brother Rasmus in the Masters field. In 2025, they became the first pair of twins to compete in the Masters.
Daniel Berger
Berger is one Four-time PGA Tour champion who has played in six Masters. His best finish was a T10 in his Masters debut in 2016. Although he missed the 2023 and 2024 events, he returned to the Masters in 2025 and finished T21.
That wasn’t good enough to qualify him for 2026, but after finishing 38th at the Texas Children’s Houston Open in the OWGR, he won his time at Augusta National within a week.
Jake Knapp
KnappThe 31-year-old has only played in one Masters, doing so after winning the 2024 Mexico Open for his only PGA Tour victory. He made the cut and finished T55.
Knapp didn’t qualify last year, but when he woke up Monday, his OWGR ranking of 42 officially sealed his spot in the 2026 Masters field.
Matt McCarthy
The youngest player on the list at 28, McCarty made his Masters debut last year behind him. Tour maiden victory at Black Desert Championship 2024.
He played brilliantly as a Masters rookie, eventually finishing an impressive T14. But that wasn’t good enough to punch his ticket to the Masters 2026. No matter. He played his way into the Top 50 at OWGR with a solid start to the season, finishing last week in 46th place. This means he will start his second Masters next week.
