Rory McIlroy, the 2025 Champion will now play alongside winners of various national opens at the 2026 Masters event
Augusta National Golf Club which hosts The Masters, and The R&A, which hosts the Open Championship have announced that the winner of the Hong Kong Open, along with winners of other select national opens, will now earn direct invitations to both the Masters Tournament and The Open Championship, effective immediately. Is this a missed opportunity for the Hero Indian Open which, backed by one of the strongest sponsors in world golf – Hero Motocorp, could have competed with Hong Kong for the elevated status?
Along with Hong Kong, the Scottish Open, Spanish Open, Japan Open, Australian Open and South African Open have been added to the list of qualifying events. Champions of these tournaments will receive exemptions into both majors.
“The Masters has long recognised the importance of global representation,” said Fred Ridley, Chairman of Augusta National. “Together with The R&A, we want to reward players who rise to the top of historic national opens.”
Mark Darbon, CEO of The R&A, added: “This will create outstanding opportunities for players across the world and strengthen the fields of both championships.”
A Missed Chance for India?
The Hero Indian Open, one of Asia’s oldest national opens, was first played in 1964 while the Hong Kong Open started in1959. The Indian Open past winners include such luminaries as four-time Open Champion Peter Thomson (1964, 1966, 1976) and three-time Major winner Payne Stewart (1981).
The Hong Kong Open has enjoyed a higher profile recently with winners such as Padraig Harrington (2003) and Rory McIlroy (2011). However, the Hong Kong Open, with changing sponsors – often year on year, has not enjoyed the all-important commercial stability as the Indian Open which has enjoyed Hero as its title sponsor since 2005 !
However, for the sake of Indian golf, it would be good to know if the Indian Open even entered the discussion? Was this exclusion a lost opportunity to elevate the Hero Indian Open to the status of one of the select elite international national opens of the world?
When the next such opportunity arises – will someone from India be ready to step up to make a bid ? Such questions need to be asked and answered by the powers that be!
Photo – The Masters