When will the Masters invite a woman to play, if ever?

If a woman qualifies by one of the prescribed rules, she will get to play. For example, if Michelle Wie had won the USGA Amateur event that she entered last year, she would have qualified. She didn't win, so she didn't qualify. Now that she has turned pro, she would have to qualify a different way.
When will the Masters invite a woman to play, if ever?
ten years later.
Reply:I don't remember the exact qualifications, but don't you need to be in the top XX on the PGA money list for that to happen? I suppose that's the toughest way. The other was to win the Amateur tourney with all the match play. I don't remember which one, but it's probably the final one. I vaguely remember reading about it once when I was following Michelle Wie.





When will it actually happen? Probably not in 100 years.





Edit: Thanks for the list, c. Very informative.
Reply:Not for the foreseeable future, and definitely as long as Hootie Johnson remains club president. He repeatedly stated during the recent row with the head of the National Organziation of Women, Martha Burk, that they would not invite a woman. While August National's membership is fairly secret, there are no female members. Women are allowed to play the course as guests, however.





To comment on Arbitrage's answer, there are 17 qualifications for invitation to the Masters.





1. Masters Tournament Champions (Lifetime)


2. US Open Champions (Honorary, non-competing after 5 years)


3. British Open Champions (Honorary, non-competing after 5 years)


4. PGA Champions (Honorary, non-competing after 5 years)


5. Winners of The Players Championship (3 years)


6. Current US Amateur Champion (6-A) (Honorary, non-competing after 1 year) and the runner-up (6-B) to the current US Amateur Champion


7. Current British Amateur Champion (Honorary, non-competing after 1 year)


8. Current US Amateur Public Links Champion


9. Current US Mid-Amateur Champion


10. The first 16 players, including ties, in the 2005 Masters Tournament


11. The first 8 players, including ties, in the 2005 US Open Championship


12. The first 4 players, including ties, in the 2005 British Open Championship


13. The first 4 players, including ties, in the 2005 PGA Championship


14. The 40 leaders on the Final Official PGA Tour Money List for 2005


15. The 10 leaders on the Official PGA Tour Money List published during the week prior to the 2006 Masters Tournament


16. The 50 leaders on the Final Official World Golf Ranking for 2005


17. The 50 leaders on the Official World Golf Ranking published during the week prior to the 2006 Masters





The criterion most likely to result in a woman being invited was "8. Current US Amateur Public Links Champion" Last season, Michele Wie made it to the Quareterfinals (I think) and was in contention to win this predmoninently male championship. She has since turned pro, and is now ineligible.
Reply:It will happen soon, Michelle Wie might be the first.