Augusta National Golf Club and The R&A on Tuesday released a joint statement that the two plan to align aspects of the qualifying criteria for the Masters and The Open. Beginning in 2026, both major championships will invite the winners of select national open championships across several international tours.

Augusta National and the R&A announced that winners of national opens will now receive invitations to the Masters and Open Championship. In a joint press release Tuesday morning, the club and governing body asserted the updated qualification criteria “builds on the R&A’s longstanding and successful Open Qualifying Series and will ensure strong

The 2026 Masters will include winners from several national opens, while winners from a slate of PGA Tour events will no longer receive an automatic invitation.