UNC Golfer Ryan Gerard Qualifies for 2026 Masters Tournament Ryan Gerard, a former University of North Carolina golfer, has secured his first invitation to the Masters Tournament, a prestigious event in the world of professional golf. The qualification came after a remarkable journey that included a trip to Mauritius, a small island nation in the Indian Ocean, to compete in the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open. Gerard’s efforts paid off, earning him enough points in the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR) to qualify for the 2026 Masters, which will take place in Augusta, Georgia. Gerard’s path to the Masters was anything but straightforward. At the end of 2025, he was ranked No. 57 in the OWGR, just outside the Top 50 required for automatic qualification. To earn a spot, he needed to secure enough points through tournament performance. The opportunity arose when he learned about the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open, a DP World Tour event scheduled for December 21, 2025. The tournament, held in Bel Ombre, Mauritius, offered a chance to gain the necessary OWGR points, but the challenge was significant. Gerard faced logistical hurdles in securing his participation. He missed the entry deadline for a South African tournament due to a one-hour delay, and a friend’s wedding in the following week left him with limited options. The Mauritius Open became his only viable path. “I was like, ‘Why not? What else am I gonna do?’” Gerard said, reflecting on his decision to take the gamble. The trip itself was an arduous one. Gerard traveled from Jupiter, Florida, to Miami, then boarded a 10-hour red-eye flight to Rome, where he had a layover. During his stopover, he visited the Colosseum and enjoyed a pizza before continuing to Mauritius.#masters_tournament #augusta_national #unc #ryan_gerard #afrasia_bank_mauritius_open
