Los Angeles: Jeev Milkha Singh and South Korean Yang Yong-Eun are among 17 players who will make their debuts at next year's US Masters.
The Asian duo qualified for the opening major of the season by staying in the top 50 when the final world rankings for 2006 were issued on Monday.
Asian Tour order of merit winner Jeev Milkha Singh is ranked 37th, four spots below Yang who claimed Asia's richest prize with a two-shot victory at last month's Champions tournament in Shanghai.
"I've reached my goal of finishing in the top 50 on the world ranking and I am really excited to play in next year's US Masters," Jeev said in a statement released by the Asian Tour.
"I've now won on three different Tours this season, and it can't get any better than this. I thank God for my fantastic form. It's been a perfect year."
The 34-year-old, who ended a seven-year title drought with victory at the China Open in April before winning the Volvo Masters in Spain and the Casio World Open in Japan, will become the first player from India to play in the Masters.
Also among those earning debuts at Augusta National next April are Colombia's Camilo Villegas, Swede Johan Edfors, US Ryder Cup players J J Henry and Brett Wetterich, and Britain's Bradley Dredge.
Welshman Dredge squeezed into 50th spot in the world rankings published on Monday, narrowly ahead of Englishman Justin Rose.
The final Masters field will not be decided until the week before next year's tournament when organisers will extend invitations to the world's top 50 and the leading 10 players on the 2007 PGA Tour money list.
The Masters committee can also invite international players not otherwise qualified.
The 71st Masters will take place from April 5-8 when American Phil Mickelson defends the title he won this year.
Comments
0 comment