Niemann among 3 special invitees to Masters

Joaquin Niemann is among three players who have accepted a special invitation to play in the Masters.

Ranked 81st in the Official World Golf Ranking, Niemann’s appearance this year was in doubt after defecting in summer 2022 to LIV Golf, which doesn’t currently award world-ranking points. But Niemann, a former winner of the Latin America Amateur Championship, which is run by Augusta National, remains arguably the best player from the region and recently won the Australian Open (earning a spot in this year’s Open Championship) and LIV’s season-opening event in Mexico. He posted two other top-5s on the DP World Tour.

After winning at Mayakoba, Niemann began his post-round interview by saying, “But I’m not in the majors.” LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman has also been critical of both the OWGR and the major organizations for not extending invites to LIV golfers.

There was no mention of Niemann’s LIV accomplishments in the press release.

Others receiving a special exemption to the year’s first major were Denmark’s Thorbjorn Olesen and Ryo Hisatsune of Japan.

“The Masters Tournament has a longstanding tradition of inviting leading international players who are not otherwise qualified,” Masters chairman Fred Ridley said. “Today’s announcement represents the Tournament’s continued commitment toward developing interest in the game of golf across the world. We look forward to welcoming each player to Augusta National this spring.”

Olesen is making his first appearance in the Masters since 2019 (and fourth overall). He recently won the DP World Tour’s Ras Al Khaimah Championship and has rejoined the top 60 in the world, less than two years after he was cleared on charges of sexually assaulting a woman on a flight in 2019.

Hisatsune, the reigning DP World Tour Rookie of the Year, will be making his Masters debut in April.

The inclusion of these three players increases the field list to 83 players. The top 50 in the OWGR the week prior to the event will receive an invitation, plus any winners of upcoming Tour events that award full FedExCup points.