LIV Golf's Joaquin Niemann secures spot in The Masters as field is bolstered

Three ‘international players’ added to line up for season’s opening major in April
Chile's Joaquin Niemann in action during the Hero Dubai Desert Classic at Emirates Golf Club in January. Picture: Warren Little/Getty Images.Chile's Joaquin Niemann in action during the Hero Dubai Desert Classic at Emirates Golf Club in January. Picture: Warren Little/Getty Images.
Chile's Joaquin Niemann in action during the Hero Dubai Desert Classic at Emirates Golf Club in January. Picture: Warren Little/Getty Images.

LIV Golf’s Joaquin Niemann has secured an invitation for this year’s Masters after being included among three “international players” to bolster the field for the season’s opening major at Augusta National in April.

The Chilean has been added to the list of players who are already eligible along with Dane Thorbjorn Olesen and Japan’s Ryo Hisatsune, two of the players who secured PGA Tour cards this year through the DP World Tour’s Race to Dubai last season.

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Announcing the invitations, Fred Ridley, Chairman of Augusta National Golf Club and the event, said: “The Masters Tournament has a long-standing tradition of inviting leading international players who are not otherwise qualified. Today’s announcement represents the Tournament’s continued commitment towards developing interest in the game of golf across the world. We look forward to welcoming each player to Augusta National this spring.”

Niemann, the world No 81, is set to appear in his fifth Masters, having made the cut in three of his appearances so far, including a tie for 16th behind Spaniard Jon Rahm last year. The 25-year-old has top-five finishes in each of his three DP World Tour starts this season, including winning the ISPS Handa Australian Open in a play-off last December.

Speaking during another DP World Tour appearance in the Hero Dubai Desert Classic in January, Niemann admitted he was desperate to overcome LIV Golf events not carrying Official World Golf Ranking points to get into all of the majors this year despite LIV Golf

“As everybody knows, there's no world ranking on LIV and I'm one of a few players that don't have a spot into the majors,” said the former world amateur No 1. “I want to play in those four events and I know if I play there, I have a chance to win.”

Olesen, who landed an eighth DP World Tour title triumph by winning the Ras Al Khaimah Championship last month, will compete in his fourth Masters and his first since 2019.

Hisatsune, meanwhile, will make his debut in the first major of the season after becoming the first Japanese player to be crowned as the DP World Tour Rookie of the Year, having been helped in landing that title by winning the Open de France last September.

A total 83 players have now been invited to compete in the 2024 Masters. Other spots will be handed to winners of upcoming PGA Tour events that award a full-point allocation and anyone in the top 50 in the Official World Golf Ranking the week prior to The Masters, which is being played on 11-14 April.

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