Slumping pro earns first Masters invite

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Sunday, Oct 11, 2026

You're never really that far off when you're a high-level professional golfer, no matter what your recent results suggest. That's why these guys keep coming back for more day in, day out. Grant Forrest was teeing it up in the Spanish Open despite missing nine of his last 12 cuts and having zero indication a win was on the horizon. Forrest likely would have signed for a made cut on Thursday.

But the 33-year-old Scotsman did more than make the cut—he won. He had a week, and he could not have timed it any better. By having a week, Forrest is now going to have himself a year in 2027. His one-shot victory not only gets him into his third career Open Championship but it also earned him his first Masters invitation. The Spanish Open is one of the six national Opens that now get you a spot at Augusta National with a win, a pathway that was opened in 2025 and returned for 2026 as Augusta National announced last month .

Count me among those who loves the move to make these national Opens have extra meaning. It's the latest stroke of genius from the green jackets down in Georgia.

Slumping Scot earns Masters invite with Spanish Open win

Grant Forrest picked a great week to have a week

By Jay Coffin

What You Need to Know

Evin Priest

With six straight pars to finish in Japan, Michael Brennan cemented his status as a young star, claiming a one-stroke victory over Keith Mitchell and Jacob Bridgeman at the Baycurrent Classic. That gives the 24-year-old former Wake Forest standout three PGA Tour wins in the last 12 months, the first coming last October in Utah and the second at the Wyndham Championship in August.

“Yeah, I think it does,” Brennan said when asked if winning bred winning. “I just think you can get more comfortable in those situations. I was very nervous today, especially coming down the stretch.”

Jay Coffin

Only five events remain this fall on the PGA Tour, which means opportunities are dwindling to make moves in the FedEx Cup Fall standings. Those finishing inside the top 100 earn exempt status for next year. There was minimal movement following the Baycurrent Classic, but still, it’s significant for those who moved.

Christiaan Bezuidenhout moved from 99 to 95 with a T-17 finish and Lee Hodges moved from 103 to 100 with a T-33, although he bogeyed his last two holes. Max Greyserman dropped from 98 to 99 when he bogeyed two of the last three holes in Japan. Billy Horschel arrived in Japan 94th after a T-13 last week in Utah and tied for 21st at the Baycurrent to jump up to No. 90. Brooks Koepka dropped from 100 to 102, but he’s exempt through 2028 because of his 2023 PGA Championship victory. He played last week at the Dunhill Links in Scotland, and it’s believed that’s his last start of the year.

Ryan Herrington

Grant Forrest's victory made him the latest to earn a coveted invitation to the 2027 Masters. We're still more than 175 days away the opening round at Augusta National, but it's never too early to see who else will be teeing it up. Here's everyone in the field so far.