AUGUSTA, Georgia — A late surge by Kiradech Aphibarnrat makes him among nine players projected to get invitations to the Masters by finishing the year in the top 50 in the world ranking.
Kiradech ended his year with four straight top 10s, including a fifth-place finish Sunday in the Indonesian Masters. The Thai is projected to finish the year at No. 49, one spot ahead of Yusaku Miyazato of Japan, who also will get to Augusta National.
The last tournament offering ranking points this year is on the Asian Development Tour and is not expected to affect the top 50.
The other seven who get into the Masters through the world ranking are Tyrrell Hatton, Alex Noren, Matt Fitzpatrick, Branden Grace, Ross Fisher, Yuta Ikeda and Bernd Wiesberger. That puts the field of players expected to compete at 80 going into next year.
The Masters also invites players who are in the top 50 on March 25, and anyone winning a PGA Tour event that offers full FedEx Cup points.