GOLF: Gary Woodland, 4 others earn Masters invites

Texas Children's Houston Open winner Gary Woodland, along with four other golfers, secured their spots at this year’s Masters on Sunday.

Woodland earned his spot by winning the event, marking his first PGA Tour victory since the 2019 U.S. Open. The win comes 2½ years after he underwent brain surgery to remove a lesion in September 2023, an experience he recently revealed has contributed to his battle with PTSD.

Joining Woodland at Augusta National Golf Club are Denmark’s Nicolai Hojgaard and Americans Daniel Berger, Jake Knapp, and Matt McCarty, who all secured their spots by finishing in the top 50 of the Official World Golf Ranking after the Houston Open. The tournament served as the cutoff date ahead of the April 9-12 major in Augusta, Georgia.

This will be Woodland’s 13th career Masters appearance, returning after missing the field in 2025. He has one top-20 finish in the tournament, tying for 14th in 2023.

“Obviously your goal out here is to play in major championships,” Woodland said. “My exemption ran out a year ago. I haven’t been in the other three majors from an exempt standpoint outside the U.S. Open from my win. Playing my way back in, I know this gets me in the Masters, I know it gets me in the PGA. I’m looking forward to that, I can tell you that.”

Knapp and McCarty will each make their second Masters appearances, with McCarty impressing in his debut last year by tying for 14th. Berger will be playing in his seventh Masters, while Hojgaard will make his third, repeating last year’s historic appearance when he and his brother Rasmus became the first twins to compete in the tournament.

One final Masters spot remains available at this week’s Valero Texas Open if the winner has not already qualified.

—Field Level Media/Reuters