19 December 2023 , 18:55
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The likes of Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood and LIV Golf champion Talor Gooch are all set to miss next year's Masters, with Augusta National set to welcome one of its smallest fields for some time.
As things stand it appears that only 77 players will be in the field for the 2024 edition which takes place next April. Usually the field at Augusta is anywhere between 85 to 100 competitors, with 88 players receiving invites to Augusta at this year's event.
The reduced field comes after it was confirmed bosses at the opening major championship of the year would not be altering their qualifying criteria to allow more LIV stars to compete.
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The breakaway league's representation in Georgia is set to be limited next April, amid its ongoing wait for world ranking points. There had been calls for golf's four majors to introduce some sort of exemption list for LIV's best performers who had not already qualified via other pathways.
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Sadly for Poulter and co, Masters chief Fred Ridley claimed that there would be no change to qualification for 2024, but did hint there could be some alterations in the future. "If you look back over the history of the Masters tournament, and the qualifications that existed, we have changed those qualifications in numerous times, dozens of times,” Ridley said in October.
“We look at those every year. We don't make changes every year, but we do look at them under the current circumstances. As you'll recall last year, there was some speculation as to whether or not we would invite LIV golfers. We stayed true to our qualification criteria. We invited everyone who was eligible.
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Talor Gooch will also miss The Masters in 2024 (Photo by Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images)“While we do not, at this time, anticipate making a change in 2024, we do always look at (exemptions), and we will continue to do that. Our qualifications are very much dynamic, and we adjust to what we feel is in the best interest of a tournament representing the best players in the world. We’ll always look at that.”
Arguably the biggest omission will be LIV's 2023 individual champion Gooch. The American star won three times on the breakaway circuit this year, before getting his hands on the season-long prize after finishing second in Jeddah behind Brooks Koepka in October.
Whilst he landed a £14 million bonus, the lack of world ranking points ensured he qualified for none of the four majors in 2024. Despite the snub, Gooch - who recently made a move to Koepka's Smash GC - is hoping that he will still be able find away to Augusta in April.
"We will see what they [those in charge of the major championships] all decide," Gooch told Mirror Sport whilst competing at the Hong Kong Open in November. "And you know, I hope I can be at the majors next year."