Gary Woodland, 4 others earn Masters invites

Texas Children's Houston Open winner Gary Woodland and four other golfers clinched spots at this year's Masters on Sunday.

Woodland earned the spot by winning the event, his first PGA Tour win since the 2019 U.S. Open. The victory came 2 1/2 years removed from undergoing brain surgery to remove a lesion in September of 2023, which he admitted earlier this month has led to him battling PTSD.

Denmark's Nicolai Hojgaard and Americans Daniel Berger, Jake Knapp and Matt McCarty earned their spots at Augusta National Golf Club by finishing in the top 50 of the Official World Golf Ranking after the Houston Open, which served as the cutoff date ahead of the April 9-12 major in Augusta, Ga.

This will be Woodland's 13th career Masters, returning after he didn't qualify in 2025. He has one career top-20 finish (T-14 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 be making their second Masters appearances, with McCarty standing out last year in his debut when he landed in a tie for 14th. Berger will be playing in his seventh Masters, and 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 Masters.

One final Masters spot will be available at this week's Valero Texas Open, should the winner not already be in the field.

--Field Level Media