Joaquin Niemann, who competes in the LIV Golf League, is returning to the Masters, the second straight time Augusta National has given the 26-year-old Chilean a special invitation to the year’s first major championship tournament.
Augusta National also invited Nicolai Hojgaard, a more surprising decision because the 23-year-old from Denmark played a full PGA Tour schedule for the first time and did not record a top-10 finish since playing the Masters last year.
Hojgaard’s twin brother, Rasmus, already qualified from being among the top 50 in the Official World Golf Ranking at the end of 2024. It will be the first time for twins to compete in the same Masters. Both of the brothers have played the British Open the past two years.
Niemann became the first player since Ryo Ishikawa of Japan in 2012-13 to receive the special invitation in consecutive years. This was another example of the club looking beyond traditional tours to assemble its field.
Niemann remains the only LIV golfer to get an invitation since the Saudi-funded league began in June 2022.