Bill Haas, Louis Oosthuizen are among the latest additions
With no more events of consequence remaining on the 2016 professional golf schedule, the Masters is about to add a dozen players to the field for next year’s event, bringing the current total to 85 with an amateur to make it 86 early in 2017.
The 12 soon-to-be Masters invitees are among the top 50 in the World Ranking at the end of the calendar year, with only one American in the group.
Bill Haas is the lone U.S. player among the 12, with former British Open champion and Masters runner-up Louis Oosthuizen the most prominent player to join the field.
The winner of the Latin America Amateur, which will be played Jan. 12-15, will receive an invitation, as well as the winners of13 PGA Tour events prior to next April’s Masters. The top 50 in the World Rankings as of March 25 will also qualify.
Ten players ranked between 52 and 68 are not yet in the Masters, with no U.S. players among them and only two PGA Tour members (No. 54 Marc Leishman and No. 68 Danny Lee). Thongchai Jaidee (52) is the highest ranked player who is not in the 2017 Masters field, with Billy Horschel (69) the highest ranked American yet to quality.
Others who will likely need a win prior to the 2017 Masters to earn an invitation include Georgia natives Chris Kirk, Harris English, Russell Henley and Charles Howell, along with former World No. 1 Luke Donald and major champions Graeme McDowell, Padraig Harrington and Keegan Bradley.
There are currently seven golfers with Georgia ties qualified for next April’s tournament in Augusta, including former champions Bubba Watson, Zach Johnson and Larry Mize. Also in the field are Matt Kuchar, Patrick Reed, Kevin Kisner and Roberto Castro.
Here is the current field, listed by how players qualified for the 2017 Masters:
Masters champions: Danny Willett, Jordan Spieth, Adam Scott, Bubba Watson, Charl Schwartzel, Angel Cabrera, Phil Mickelson, Trevor Immelman, Zach Johnson, Mike Weir, Tiger Woods, Vijay Singh, Jose Maria Olazabal, Bernhard Langer, Fred Couples, Mark O’Meara, Sandy Lyle, Larry Mize.
U.S. Open champions 2012–16: Dustin Johnson, Martin Kaymer, Justin Rose, Webb Simpson.
British Open champions 2012-16: Henrik Stenson, Rory McIlroy, Ernie Els.
PGA champions 2012-16: Jimmy Walker, Jason Day, Jason Dufner.
Players champions 2014-16: Rickie Fowler, Matt Kuchar.
Top 12, 2016 Masters: Lee Westwood, Paul Casey, J.B. Holmes, Matthew Fitzpatrick, Soren Kjeldsen, Hideki Matsuyama, Daniel Berger, Brandt Snedeker.
Top 4, 2016 U.S. Open: Jim Furyk, Scott Piercy, Shane Lowry.
Top 4, 2016 British Open: Steve Stricker.
Top 4, 2016 PGA: Daniel Summerhays, Brooks Koepka.
Amateurs: Curtis Luck (U.S. and Asia-Pacific champion), Brad Dalke (U.S. runner-up), Scott Gregory (British champion), Stewart Hagestad (US Mid-Am champion), Latin America Championship (Jan. 12-15).
PGA Tour winners, 2016 to 2017 Masters: Branden Grace, Charley Hoffman, Brian Stuard, James Hahn, Sergio Garcia, William McGirt, Billy Hurley, Jhonattan Vegas, Kenny Knox, Ryan Moore, Si Woo Kim, Patrick Reed, Brendan Steele, Rod Pampling, Pat Perez, Mackenzie Hughes.
Top 30, 2015-16 FedExCup: Kevin Chappell, Emiliano Grillo, Justin Thomas, Gary Woodland, Roberto Castro, Kevin Kisner, Sean O’Hair, Kevin Na.
Top 50 World Rankings, end of 2016: Alex Noren, Tyrrell Hatton, Louis Oosthuizen, Rafa Cabrera-Bello, Francesco Molinari, Yuta Ikeda, Chris Wood, Bernd Wiesberger Bill Haas, Byeong Hyun An, Andy Sullivan, Thomas Pieters.