How to qualify for The Masters

As the Masters begins we thought we'd have a look at how you can qualify for it. And there are a suprising number of ways! 

In fact there are actually a total of 18 different ways you can qualify for a treasured Masters invitation.

This week 12 golfers will get in via qualification No 17, which is being in the top 50 on the Official World Golf Rankings at the end of 2016.

This means that the following golfers will definitely be making the trip to Augusta in April.

Alex Noren (No. 9)

Tyrell Hatton (No. 24)

 Louis Oosthuizen (No. 26)

 Rafael Cabrera-Bello (No. 27)

 Francesco Molinari (No. 31)

 Yuta Ikeda (No. 33)

Chris Wood (No. 39)

Bernd Wiesberger (No. 40)

Bill Haas (No. 41)

Andy Sullivan (No. 44)

Ben An (No. 45)

Thomas Pieters (N0. 47)

Thomas Pieters to make first trip

There are some exciting European prospects in there with first outings for Thomas Pieters, Alex Noren, Chris Wood, Tyrell Hatton and Andy Sullivan.

The 12 OGWR entrants brings the current invitation list to 84, but there are still opportunities to make the field.

Golfers can still qualify by winning a tournament on the PGA Tour between now and The Masters. They can also qualify by getting into the top 50 in the OWGR by the week prior to the Masters.

You can also quality if you have:

Won The Masters (lifetime exemption)

Won The US Open Championship (Honorary, non-competing after 5 years)

Won The Open Championship (Honorary, non-competing after 5 years)

Won The PGA Champions (Honorary, non-competing after 5 years)

Won The The Players Championship (Three years)

Won `The US Amateur Championship (Honorary, non-competing after 1 year) and the runner-up to the current US Amateur Champion

Won the current British Amateur Champion (Honorary, non-competing after 1 year)

Won the current Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship

Won the current Latin America Amateur Championship

Won the current US Mid-Amateur Championship.

The first 12 players, including ties, in the previous year's Masters Tournament will qualify.

As will the first 4 players, including ties, in the previous year's US Open Championship, and the first 4 players, including ties, in the previous year's The Open Championship, and the first 4 players, including ties, in the previous year's PGA Championship.

Finally, the winners of PGA Tour events that award a full–point allocation for the season–ending Tour Championship, from previous Masters to current Masters, and those qualifying for the previous year's season–ending Tour Championship will also qualify.

Simples really! But you'd better be on your game.

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Why Tiger will win at least once this season