The history of amateur golf at Augusta National began with co-Founder Bobby Jones, the greatest amateur in the sport’s history. Honouring amateur golf has always been seen as a foundational pillar in the Masters Tournament. Bobby Jones gave his fellow amateurs a stage on which they can showcase their talents and live out their dreams.
After the amateurs make their way down Magnolia Lane for the first time, captivated, no doubt, in childlike wonder, there is an opportunity to stay on-site in the ‘Crow’s Nest’, which is located atop the Augusta National clubhouse. Not all amateurs have taken this offer up in the past, but it remains a popular option. It’s a dormitory setup that would make for a top tier Airbnb listing. The Club also puts on a dinner on the Monday night in honour of the participating amateurs in the ‘Founders Room’, which overlooks Butler Cabin and a peak at more iconic Masters history as they take dinner with the members who help organise the major championship.
The Silver Cup has been awarded since 1952 as the trophy going to the Low-Amateur (who must have made the cut). The prize however has existed since the first playing in 1934, but it was in the form of a firm handshake and the words “congratulations we are most proud of you and what you have achieved”.
Perhaps we should take a collective deep breath as I rattle off some of the previous winners of the Silver Cup… the names engraved on the trophy include…Nicklaus, Crenshaw, Mickelson, Woods, Kuchar, Garcia, Matsuyama, Cantlay, DeChambeau, Hovland and most recently Neal Shipley. The closest an amateur has come to winning the event outright was in 1956 when Ken Venturi finished solo second behind Jack Burke Jr, missing out on a play-off by single stroke.
I’d like to note there would have been seven amateurs participating this year had Michael Lasasso the 2025 NCAA DI Champion had not decided to turn pro to chase the ‘LIV money’ instead.
Let us look below at the competing six amateurs in the 2026 Masters field:
Nationality: American
Reason for invitation: Winning the 2025 U.S Amateur Championship
Howell won the United States Amateur Championship at Olympic Club beating Jackson Herrington 7&6 in the final. In doing so, Mason became the third youngest winner in the tournament’s history dating back to 1895, displacing one Tiger Woods in the process. At age 14 he shot a 59 off the member tees at his home club of Glen Arven Country Club in 2022, it went down as an unofficial course record …until last August when he claimed the official record shooting another 59, this time off the championship tees. He does have major championship experience, having played in last year’s U.S. Open at Oakmont. He claimed his place in the U.S Open field shooting back-to-back 63’s in a 36-hole sprint at final qualifying. Mason represented his country as part of the winning 2025 Walker Cup team at Cypress Point and as a member of the 2025 U.S. Eisenhower Trophy squad. Mason apparently dressed up as Augusta National founder Bobby Jones at the age 4 for Halloween. I’m sure synthetic fibres will be on the menu when he tees it up in the Masters this year.
Nationality: American
Reason for invitation: Winning the 2025 Amateur Championship
Ethan sunk a 6ft putt on the 18th green at Royal St George’s for birdie to win the 2025 Amateur Championship 1up against Ireland’s Gavin Tiernan. Fang became only the second American since 1979 to lift the historic trophy when he holed out on the 36th hole of that dramatic final. He is a prolific ‘cutter’ of the golf ball, his go-to medium fade is the only shot shape he likes to dance with, and he is damn good at it. If you were to demand a high draw out of him it is the last thing he could produce…he might need a few of those for Augusta though. Ethan was a member of the winning 2025 NCAA Division One Championship Oklahoma State Cowboys squad. The young American has represented his country as part of teams for the Arnold Palmer Cup, Walker Cup and Eisenhower Trophy. He looks to join the likes of Sergio Garcia (1999) and Matteo Manassero (2010) as previous winners of the Amateur Championship to go onto lift the Silver Cup as Low-Am at the Masters. Ethan has a level of both swag and composure that should play well on such a bright and demanding stage as Augusta National.
Nationality: American
Reason for invitation: Winning the 2025 U.S Mid-Amateur Championship
Brandon Holtz won the 2025 U.S. Mid-Am at Troon Country Club with a 3&2 victory over Jeg Coughlin III. It was his debut in a U.S.G.A. championship and to go onto win it was absolute fairytale stuff for him and his family. The Masters invite represents his first ever look at a golfing major. In theory the U.S. Mid-Am Champion has always represented the ‘everyman’ when it comes to amateur golf in the Masters field, but as a ‘reinstated Am’, having had a spell at the professional side of the game, that is slightly lost this year. After winning his Mid-Am title Holtz stated that “I kept my pro card for a while just because I liked to play for cash, and it got to the point where I just wasn’t playing any events anymore, so decided to get my amateur status back last year. I didn’t see this day. I’m glad it’s here, though”. Golf wasn’t Holtz’s original sporting love; he played collegiate basketball at Illinois State University in the ‘guard’ position. He suited up 18 times and averaged 2.9 points and 1.1 rebounds per game. Brandon is currently working as a real estate agent, selling some charming, detached family homes in the greater Bloomington, IL area. He looks to join the likes of Jay Sigel (1980, 81 & 88) and Stewart Hagestad (2017) as previous U.S Mid-Am champs to lift the Silver Cup.
Nationality: Thai
Reason for invitation: Winning the 2025 Asia Pacific Amateur Championship
Fifa’s amazing victory at the 2025 Asia Pacific Amateur Championship in Dubai catapulted him onto the world amateur golfing stage as someone with ridiculous levels of talent. He started the final round on the Majlis Course last October 6 shots back of the lead. Fifa birdied his 17th and 18th holes to get into a play-off for the title. Once he was in that play-off, he birdied all three of the holes played to claim the title. Laopakdee will be the first ever Thai amateur golfer to compete in the Masters when he tees it up this April. Following his win Fifa said that “I think all the Thai fans have been waiting such a long time for a Thai amateur or Thai pro to go compete at the Masters and The Open”. “This victory, I feel like it’s probably gained so many Thai fans. If I check my phone, probably tonnes of Thai fans texting me right now. Amazing for me, my parents, Thai fans and for my country.” Also, in 2025 Fifa won the Southeast Asian Games by a whopping 11 strokes. He is currently a junior at Arizona State University. It is unknown whether he has the same affinity for Lamborghinis or vaping that his fellow countryman Kiradech Aphibarnrat has.
Nationality: Argentinian
Reason for invitation: Winning the 2026 Latin American Amateur Championship
Mateo won the 2026 Latin America Amateur Championship at Lima Golf Club in Peru. He came from behind to win the tournament on the second play-off hole to secure his Masters invite. He recently transferred to the Div I college golf program at the University of Arkansas after playing three years at Oklahoma Christian University Div II. It has been a steady rise for him matching growing talent with the appropriate rung on the golfing ladder. No doubt he will look to get a practice round with his fellow countryman, golfing hero and 2009 Masters champ Angel ‘El Pato’ Cabrera. Hopefully Angel is just offering on course advice. Pulcini cuts an incredibly strong and oxlike figure that would look more at home in the lineout on the rugby field for Las Pumas than on a putting surface. Pulcini’s swing consists of a compact laid-off back swing like Jon Rahm, slotted at the top, and then a gracefully balanced follow through. In 2025 Mateo also picked up trophies at Brazil’s ‘Aberto Masculino do Sao Fernando’ tournament shooting a final round 66 and he also won Argentina’s ‘Gran Premio Tortugas’ by a shot.
Nationality: American
Reason for invitation: Runner-up in the 2025 U.S Amateur Championship
Jackson Herrington gets into this year’s field on the bridesmaid’s ticket having finished runner-up to Mason Howell at the 2025 U.S. Amateur Championship at Olympic Club. He plays his college golf out of the University of Tennessee. Jackson won the 75th Tennessee State Open as a fresh faced 18-year-old in 2024. That same year he went on to win the Tennessee Golf Association’s Men’s and Boys’ player of the year awards. He will look to follow in the footsteps of Ben Crenshaw (1973), Patrick Cantlay (2012) and Neal Shipley (2024) as previous runners-up in the U.S. Amateur to claim the Silver Cup at Augusta.
