4. WHO’S IN AND WHO’S OUT?

IN JOAQUIN NIEMANN

The 25-year-old Chilean left the PGA Tour for the Saudi breakaway league in the summer of 2022 but qualified for last year’s Masters as his World Ranking hadn’t caught up with that decision. It has since plummeted to 81, well outside the top 50 needed to earn a spot at Augusta, but he was one of three players to accept a special invitation to play this year. In fairness to Niemann, he did all he could to secure a spot. He played and won the Australian Open at the end of last year and has finished fifth and tied fourth in two more DP World Tour appearances this season. “I’m trying to get into the Masters,” he said, explaining why he’d added those events to his LIV schedule. Job done.

RICKIE FOWLER

A resurgent Rickie Fowler will be back, having qualified for the first time since 2020. The Floridian has finished inside the top 12 in five of his last seven Masters appearances, including a runner-up spot in 2018, and will be looking to build on a 2023 that saw him return to the world top 50 and pick up his first tour win in more than four years.

OUT BERNHARD LANGER

Past winners get a lifetime exemption but most decide to call it a day when they’re no longer competitive. Two-time champion Bernhard Langer has missed the last three cuts and announced in January that this year’s tournament would be his last. Two weeks later he tore his Achilles, ruling him out of a farewell swansong. Hopefully the 66-year-old will have a change of heart and return in 2025 for one last dance.

TALOR GOOCH

How many setbacks can one man take? It was bad enough being overlooked for the Ryder Cup in Rome, but now the American has the dubious honour of being probably the most in-form golfer not in the field for the first Major of the year. He won three LIV Golf events last year, picking up $17.4 million in winnings, plus an additional $18 million for topping the individual points list for the season. He’s one of several LIV players who will miss out this year after seeing their World Ranking plummet since joining the breakaway tour. That list includes Thomas Pieters, Abraham Ancer and Harold Varner III.

TBC ANGEL CABRERA

The Argentine hasn’t played at Augusta in five years and was released from prison in August after serving 30 months for convictions of domestic abuse against two of his former girlfriends. Despite the convictions, he was controversially back in action on the Champions Tour in February and still remains eligible to play at the Masters and attend the Champions Dinner as a former champion. “It is my dream to return to that prestigious place,” said Cabrera. “I played at Augusta for almost 20 years in a row. It is like a second home to me. It would be a great privilege to return and attend the Champions Dinner.” That decision rests in the hands of Augusta boss Fred Ridley, who has denied speculation that the 54-year-old may be banned from attending the event now and in the future. “Angel certainly is one of our great champions,” said Ridley. “He presently is not able to enter the United States. He doesn’t have a visa and I know that process is being worked through. We certainly wish him the best of luck with that, and we’ll definitely welcome him back if he’s able to straighten out those legal issues.”