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Welcome to Augusta

• Now that winning most PGA Tour events will lead to automatic bids to the Masters, what once seemed like regular Tour wins mean so much more.

Scott Chancey

AUGUSTA — Christmas came early Sunday for Johnson Wagner.

After winning his first PGA Tour event Sunday at the Houston Open, Johnson had more than one reason to celebrate. Since Augusta National Golf Club chairman Billy Payne brought back the rule last year that winners of most Tour events that take place after the 2007 Masters automatically qualify for this week’s tournament, Wagner was ecstatic.

“I definitely tried,” Wagner laughed during the Houston Open champions news conference. “It was hard, though, and I think I said on Thursday after the 63, someone asked me about the Masters, and I said I’m trying not to think about it now, but come Sunday, if I’ve got a two-shot lead on 18, I’ll think about it.”

The automatic qualifier provision, which had been absent since 1999, applies to winners of those Tour events that offer full FedEx Cup Points. Winners of events opposite the majors and World Golf Championships and of tournaments on the new fall schedule, however, do not receive automatic invitations.

Sean O’Hair qualified for the Masters by winning the PODS Championship.

During the PGA stop at Doral last month, he talked about the whirlwind that follows after qualifying for Augusta.

“Obviously, not being in this event at the beginning of the year, and then now being in it, it's pretty cool,” O’Hair said. “Especially, obviously it gets you into Augusta, too. I've got a pretty exciting month coming up, and after this week I've got two weeks off. I'm going to try and get ready and take some time off, kind of clear my head a little bit and get ready for the Masters. But I think this is going to be a cool week, and I'm looking forward to it.”

Wagner, who had played at Augusta four years ago as a guest of his great uncle, still cannot fathom the opportunity ahead this week, either.

“My first Masters, I don’t know,” he said. “Sounds funny, you know, even saying it, but it’s going to be a great experience. After winning (Sunday) and playing as well as I am, I feel good going into it. My family connection there I don’t think is going to make any difference whatsoever. But it’s going to be a great week.”

Former Abraham Baldwin golfer Boo Weekley — had he not been among the top 30 players from last year’s Tour money list (another qualifying mark for Augusta) — would have been eligible simply because he won last spring’s event at Hilton Head, which was coincidentally the first event golfers could again automatically qualify.

“Of all the tournaments we get to play, this is the one I really wanted to get into,” Weekley said on the Masters’ Web site. “It’s an honor.”

Wagner even has a designated colored shirt for the final round, just as Tiger Woods does with red.

“I had a little thing on the Nationwide Tour,” he said. “I wore lime green on Friday every Friday. It was kind of my good-luck color, my cut-making color, and it kind of failed me last year. So I thought once I got into the hunt, it was going to be lime-green Sundays”

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