Meet the 6 amateurs making their Masters debut

Each year, a handful of the world’s best amateur players earn the rare invitation to it Masterstepping onto the hallowed grounds of golf to compete alongside the game’s top pros. Each bringing their own unique story – full of courage and hope – to Augusta National.

Here’s a closer look at the six amateurs who have earned their spot at this year’s Masters.

Ethan Fang makes his Masters debut this week. Last June, he defeated Ireland’s Gavin Tiernan in the final one to win the amateur championship at Royal St George’s in England, joining legends such as Bobby Jones, José María Olazábal and Sergio García as champions of the prestigious amateur event. Fang, a First Team All-American at Oklahoma State University, led his team to the NCAA Division I Men’s Golf Championship and finished runner-up at the Western Amateur. His impressive resume also includes competing in The Open at Royal Portrush and representing the United States in the Arnold Palmer Cup, Walker Cup and Eisenhower Trophy.

Jackson Herrington will also make it to Augusta for his first Masters – and major – appearance. Last August, the University of Tennessee sophomore came up just short against Mason Howell in the US Amateur final at the Olympic Club, finishing runner-up. This week, he could follow in the footsteps of legends like Ben Crenshaw, Patrick Cantlay, Doug Ghim and Neal Shipley – after runner-up Am. Herrington, who won the 2024 Tennessee Men’s and Junior Player of the Year honors, also finished runner-up to Blades Brown at the US Amateur Four-Ball Championship and advanced to play in both the US Amateur and Western Amateur.

Brandon Holtz makes his first Masters and major championship start after a remarkable rise through the Mid-Amateur ranks. Last September, in his first USGA Championship, he defeated Jeg Coughlin III 3&2 to win the US Mid-Amateur at Troon Country Club in Arizona. This victory earned him the Robert T. Jones Jr. Memorial Trophy. and places in the 2026 Masters and US Open. He joins past Mid-Amateur champions, including Jay Sigel and Stewart Hagestad, who later claimed minor amateur honors at the Masters. Holtz’s path to college golf has been an unconventional one. After playing college basketball at Illinois State University, he pursued professional golf before regaining his amateur status.

Mason Howell will make his Masters debut this week as one of the game’s rising stars. Last August, he won the US Amateur at the Olympic Clubdefeating Jackson Herrington 7&6 in the final round. With his win, Howell became the third youngest champion in the event’s history. He joins a long list of past winners such as Bobby Jones, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods. The University of Georgia commit and member of the 2026 United States Junior National Team also competed in the US Open and represented the United States in both the Walker Cup and Eisenhower Trophy in 2025. In 2024, he earned All-America honors after finishing fifth in both the Western Junior and Junior A4 Junior Players Championship rounds.

Fifa Laopakdee makes history this week as Thailand’s first female amateur to compete at the Masters. Last October, he made a dramatic comeback at the Asia-Pacific Amateur in Dubai, starting the final round six shots behind. Birdies on the 17th, 18th and all three playoff holes propelled Laopakdee to victory, earning him spots in both the 2026 Masters and the Open Championship. The Arizona State University junior also won the individual gold medal at the 2025 Southeast Asian Games by 11 strokes. He has also represented Thailand on a global stage in both the Eisenhower Trophy and the Junior Presidents Cup.

Mateo Pulcini makes his first Masters and major championship start after a big win at the Latin American Amateur in Peru last January. He closed his final round with a 68 and birdied the second playoff hole to secure spots at the Masters, US Open and this year’s Open Championship. In 2025, Pulcini won world ranking amateur golf events in Argentina and Brazil, finished fifth at the Mexican Amateur and represented Argentina at the Eisenhower Trophy in Singapore. He also earned three NCAA Division II All-American honors at Oklahoma Christian University and played his final collegiate season at the University of Arkansas.