Golf: Kuchar charges into Masters

LONDON - American Matt Kuchar, winner of the Honda Classic on Monday - his first US PGA Tour title in only his 17th start - has earned a place in next month's US Masters.

The 1997 US amateur champion, who fired a closing 66 at Heron Bay in Florida to became the sixth first-time winner on this year's Tour, secured his invitation by making the world's top 50 for the first time.

Kuchar has rocketed up 99 places to No 50 in the latest official world rankings.

Former British Open champion John Daly and South African Rory Sabbatini also booked their places for the first major of the year by virtue of the top-50 rankings.

Daly, who won the 1995 British Open at Carnoustie, is 43rd and Sabbatini 45th.

World No 33 Michael Campbell will be New Zealand's only representative at Augusta.

The rankings, released yesterday, are the second and final instalment of ranking qualification for the Masters.

One last option remains for players to qualify: to win next week's Players' Championship at Sawgrass, a tournament widely regarded by the players as the "fifth major."

- NZPA