Italian brothers Francesco and Edoardo Molinari are among 13 players to qualify for the 2011 Masters at Augusta courtesy of their world ranking. The top 50 in the end-of-year world rankings are invited to the tournament. America’s defending champion Phil Mickelson is looking for a fourth win, while Tiger Woods is chasing a fifth. British golfers, including world number one Lee Westwood and US Open champion Graeme McDowell have qualified through one of several other criteria. The top 16 from the previous year’s Masters automatically qualify meaning Westwood, who finished second, and his fellow Englishman Ian Poulter, who was 10th, will be in Georgia in April. Spain’s Miguel Angel Jimenez also qualifies under this criteria. Ulsterman McDowell is in after winning the US Open at Pebble Beach, while his Northern Ireland compatriot Rory McIlroy is awarded a place for finishing third at the Open Championship.
English trio Luke Donald, Paul Casey and Justin Rose make the cut after finishing in the top 30 players on the 2010 US PGA Tour money list, while Scotland’s Martin Laird also qualifies from his Tour Championship showing. Francesco Molinari, who is 15th in the world rankings, made his Masters debut last year and finished tied for 30th at three over par, while his brother, who is 18th in the world, has played twice previously, missing the cut in 2006 and 2010. The Masters field is currently at 91, but players can still qualify by getting into the top 50 of the world rankings in the week before the 75th Masters which takes place from 7-10 April 2011. – BBC
