The first major of 2026 begins this week as 91 players tee it up at the 90th edition of the Masters at Augusta National, with defending champion Rory McIlroy headlining the field.
McIlroy, the only European to complete the career Grand Slam of winning all four of golf’s majors ( Masters, US Open, British Open and USPGA Championship), returns after his historic win last year.
The field includes 18 past champions, who get lifetime invitations to the tournament, and six amateurs.
Past champions and LIV presence
Former champions in the field include Scottie Scheffler, Jon Rahm, Jordan Spieth, Hideki Matsuyama and Vijay Singh.
Ten LIV Golf players will also tee it up, including former winners Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm, Sergio Garcia and Dustin Johnson.
Notable absentees
Five-time champion Tiger Woods and three-time winner Phil Mickelson are both missing from this year’s field.
Woods continues his recovery, while Mickelson has stepped away from competition due to personal reasons.
How the Masters field is formed
Augusta National invites a limited field through specific categories, including past champions, recent major winners, PGA Tour winners, the top 50 in the Official World Golf Ranking, and leading amateur champions from around the world.
Indian representation still missing
The last Indian to be invited to The Masters was Shubhankar Sharma in 2018, after he won twice on the European Tour and made headlines at a few PGA Tour events also.
Akshay Bhatia and Aaron Rai, both PGA Tour winners, are Indian-origin players in the field.
