100 days until the Masters
Notable players are currently outside looking in at the 2025 Augusta field
Will Chile’s Joaquin Niemann receive another special invite to Augusta? (Shanna Lockwood/ANGC)
Happy New Year’s Eve. While reigning Masters champion and world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler sits at home nursing his wounds suffered at Christmas — has there ever been a weirder season from a guy who managed to wedge nine victories into a year in which he took paternity leave, spent time in a jail cell during a major and couldn’t get through the holidays without cutting his hand on broken glass and requiring surgery? — there are now only 100 shopping days until the honorary starters begin festivities for the 89th Masters Tournament.
There are 85 players officially qualified for the 2025 edition at Augusta National, including Charlie Woods’ father coming back after more surgeries, Angel Cabrera returning after a five-year prison exile, the 67-year-old Bernhard Langer (who just beat Tiger Woods) taking his final Masters bow, Rory McIlroy still nursing a 10-year major rut hoping to solve the final riddle for a career slam and 10 LIV golfers playing their first truly significant competition since July.
But with 100 days to go — and only 14 automatic exemption qualifying PGA Tour events and one 11th-hour OWGR top-50 ranking in that time frame — the focus now is on those not receiving their embossed invitations from Augusta in the mail. At least not yet.
Nicolai Højgaard: While his twin brother, Rasmus, will be joining him on the PGA Tour and making his Masters debut in 2025, Nicolai is still in search of a return ticket after impressing as an Augusta rookie in 2024. The Dane was in the thick of the hunt after an opening 67 last April, still tied for sixth at 2-under par heading into the final round on Sunday before a 76 marred by a quad on the par-3 12th left him one shot out of a T12 finish that would have secured his return. He starts the new year No. 58 in the world and needs to win or move back into the top 50 to set up the first twin billing at the Masters.
Nicolai Højgaard contended into the last day as a Masters rookie (John Marklund/ANGC)
Rickie Fowler: The 2018 Masters runner-up is someone you’d expect to see on the tee sheet very year at Augusta, yet he didn’t qualify from 2021-23 before finally earning his way back last April and finishing T30. But Rickie had a so-so 2024 season, failing to make the playoffs, and starts 2025 at No. 74 in the world and once again on the outside looking in. Phoenix is usually a good opportunity for him to contend and secure an automatic invite or push closer to the magic top 50.
Joaquin Niemann: The 26-year-old Chilean is arguably the most promising young player left in limbo as a LIV golfer. The Masters honored his efforts to chase world ranking points outside of LIV last year with a special exemption largely based off his victory in the historically well-regarded Australian Open in 2023. He finished T22 last year, missing out on a top-12 automatic return that was derailed by a second-round 78 in the brutal winds. Niemann just won the Saudi International against a much stronger field than the one he topped in Australia and is No. 72 in the OWGR. He’s worthy of another special exemption and capable of winning at Augusta. That should be good enough.
At age 16, Matteo Manassero collected low amateur in 2010 Masters (David Cannon/Getty Images)
Matteo Manassero: It seems like another lifetime ago when the 16-year-old Italian became the youngest winner of the British Amateur in 2009, the youngest player to make the cut at the Masters (low amateur in 2010) and the youngest winner on the European Tour in 2010. He also finished 13th to win the low amateur silver medal in the 2009 British Open. Now 31, Manassero lost his way for awhile and hit rock bottom before rebounding as one of the best stories of 2024 to come all the way back from developmental tour purgatory to win again on the DP World Tour and earn a PGA Tour card for 2025. At No. 88 in the world, he’s on the fringe of special international exemption consideration. A Masters return would put a nice bow on his comeback story.
Luke Clanton: The No. 1 amateur in the world has become a gadfly for PGA Tour professionals when he shows up at tour events, posting four top-10 finishes including a pair of runner-ups at the John Deere and RSM Classic in eight starts from June to November in 2024. He’s already No. 87 in the world and he’s still playing college golf at Florida State. Clanton was one stroke short of earning the NCAA champion exemption, so he’s been one spot away from a guaranteed Masters invite three times this year. It’s a shame he can’t just fill in on merit one of those spots vacated by former amateur qualifiers Wenyi Ding or Jacob Skov Olesen.
Alex Noren: At No. 54, the 43-year-old Swede endured the frustration of being the highest ranked player at year’s end not to qualify for the Masters. Noren has largely lived on the wrong side of the top-50 bubble since 2018, the lone exception in 2022 when his runner-up in the DP World Tour Championship secured his place in the top 50 and the 2023 Masters. As a PGA Tour regular, Noren doesn’t get much consideration for a special international exemption, so he’ll need to step up in the opening months of 2025 to earn his place in the field.
Dean Burmester: The South African isn’t the biggest name on LIV, but he’s one of the rogue tour’s more consistent players and continues to enjoy success when he plays in DP World Tour co-sanctioned Sunshine Tour events. But unless he wins something more prominent than the Vodacom Origins of Golf Final Oubaai, his No. 115 OWGR ranking isn’t gonna earn him special exemption consideration.
Matt Kuchar: He’s 48 years old and hasn’t played the Masters since 2021, but Kooch has been such a familiar ANGC character since making a contending splash as an amateur in 1998 that it’s still weird when he’s not there. In a six-year run from 2012-17, Kuchar posted four top-eight Masters finishes and was a real threat to don a green jacket. He still pops up on PGA Tour leaderboards enough to believe he has another shot in him at fellow Georgia Tech alum Bobby Jones’ place.
John Catlin: The American winner of the Asian Tour’s Order of Merit (OWGR No. 133) isn’t even eligible for a special international exemption if the committee felt so inclined. The 34-year-old Californian has won nine times on the DP World and Asian tours but has never climbed inside the top 75 or sniffed an invite to Augusta.
Webb Simpson and Louis Oosthuizen: Like old guys Pádraig Harrington and Ernie Els, the Augusta door may be closing permanently on two major champs who displayed promise in their prime at the Masters. While the 39-year-old Simpson (currently No. 356 in the OWGR) could still rebound from a four-year slump that’s sent him plummeting from a career-best No. 4 ranking in 2020, the 42-year-old Oosthuizen (No. 199) seems content to sail away with LIV and lesser International Series or home events in South Africa that will never get him close to the top 50 again. He turned down an invite to the PGA Championship and declined to or try qualifying for the U.S. Open last year. It’s too bad because the 2012 playoff runner-up is one low-round of the day from being the only player to complete the Masters Crystal Slam (he already has crystal for an ace, eagle, “double eagle” and winning the Par 3 Contest).
Talor Gooch. He’s not worthy (No. 1,166 in the world between France’s Andoni Etchenique and England’s Charlie Crockett), so everybody’s New Year’s resolution should be to stop talking about him in 2025.