Across 2025 and 2026, four of the DP World Tour's most prestigious national opens presented players with a chance to earn a coveted invitation to the Masters Tournament.
In a new initiative launched by Augusta National and The R&A, the winners of the Genesis Scottish Open, Open de España presented by Madrid, ISPS HANDA Australian Open and Investec South African Open Championship were all handed entry to both the Masters and The Open.
With four weeks to go until the opening men's Major Championship of the season, we take a look at the four national open champions who will all be making a first trip down Magnolia Lane in April.
Chris Gotterup - Genesis Scottish Open
The American arrived at The Renaissance Club in July already a PGA TOUR winner at the 2024 Myrtle Beach Classic but his Rolex Series victory took his career to the next level.
An incredible course-record equalling 61 on day two in East Lothian catapulted him to the top of the leaderboard and after 54 holes he found himself neck and neck at 11 under with 2023 champion Rory McIlroy.
Some would have crumbled under the pressure of playing alongside the Masters champion and World Number Two but Gotterup thrived, carding six birdies and two bogeys in a 66 that handed him a two-shot triumph.
"It's just so cool," he said. "I played really well this week, and I knew today was going to be tough. I hung in there like a champ and finished it off in style.
"I was a one-time champion. Two-time champ sounds a lot better. I know what I'm capable of and I know when I feel the way I did today, I can beat the best. It's just awesome."
Gotterup's win earned him a place at the following week's Open Championship where he finished third and he has gone from strength to strength since, winning the PGA TOUR's Sony Open in Hawaii and WM Phoenix Open to enter the world's top ten.
Marco Penge - Open de España presented by Madrid
With the new exemptions announced after the Scottish Open, Gotterup was not aware he was playing for a place at Augusta but Penge was when he arrived in the Spanish capital.
Already a two-time winner on the 2025 Race to Dubai, Penge opened with rounds of 66-67-64 to lead by four heading into the final day before a closing 72 left the door open to the chasing pack.
Fellow Englishman Daniel Brown carded a 67 to overturn a five-shot deficit and take it to a play-off but Penge was not to be denied, holing from ten feet for a birdie and the title on the first trip back up the last.
“It’s crazy," said Penge of his Masters invite. "It’s a golf course that I’ve always wanted to play, because I feel like my game sets up really good for it."
The win also saw Penge enter the top 50 in the world for the first time and he went on to finish second on the Race to Dubai, earning dual membership with the PGA TOUR for 2026.
Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen - Crown Australian Open
Despite being a relative novice on the DP World Tour, Neergarrd-Petersen had long been considered the next cab off the rank to get a maiden win and when that win came, it came on the big stage,
At the revered Royal Melbourne and with a stellar field assembled, the Dane posted rounds of 67-66-66 before three birdies on the back nine on Sunday held off the challenge of local hero Cam Smith.
"It means the world," he said. "The Masters is the event I've grown up watching so many times, just dreaming of playing it.
"Getting to do that is awesome. It's gone by so fast. I don't feel like it's been two and a half years since I've been out of college. I haven't even been a pro for that long.
"To get the win here at my final event of the year was the only thing missing from a perfect year. I'm so happy."
A dual member, Neergaard-Petersen has started the calendar year with five top 50s from six starts across both the DP World Tour and PGA TOUR.
Casey Jarvis - Investec South African Open Championship
Just a month ago Jarvis was 200th in the world and without a DP World Tour win - now he's a two-time winner and heading to the Masters.
Following his win the previous week at the Magical Kenya Open presented by absa, Jarvis arrived at his national open very much in the spotlight and delivered in emphatic style.
After a steady start, a third-round 64 launched him to the top of the leaderboard in Stellenbosch and a closing 67 sealed a three-shot win.
"It's been a dream of mine since I was a kid to play at Augusta," he said "I cannot wait to go there and see how my game compares to the best players in the world.
"It’s crazy that I’m going to the Masters and obviously to win my home open is fantastic."
His bid for a history-making hat-trick of wins came up agonisingly short at the Joburg Open as he lost out by one shot to Dan Bradbury.
