Marc Warren eyes Masters after Texas invitation

Masters hopeful: Marc Warren. Picture: Ian Rutherford

It follows Marc Warren, who has a chance of joining Sandy Lyle, Stephen Gallacher and Bradley Neil in the season’s opening major, securing an invitation for next week’s Valero Texas Open.

Warren is lying 51st in the world rankings - one spot outside where he needs to be at the end of the month to make his debut at Augusta National.

The 33-year-old agonisingly lost out in a play-off when he tried to Monday qualify for last week’s Valspar Championship in Tampa.

He then came up against brick wall in his bid to secure an invitation for the Arnold Palmer Invitational starting at Ball Hill on Thursday.

But, to his delight, the three-times European Tour winner will get a last throw at the dice for this year’s Masters after getting into next week’s field in San Antonio.

“Unfortunately, we didn’t manage to get him an invite for Bay Hill, but we have managed to get one into Valero Texas Open,” said Warren’s manager Stuart Cage of Octagon Golf.

Confirming the news himself, Warren said he was “looking forward” to a final push in his bid to make that drive up Magnolia Lane.

Lyle, of course, is in the Masters field as a former winner, Gallacher is returning for the second year running as he’s in the world’s top 50 and Neil is heading there as the Amateur champion.