JACKSONVILLE (Florida): Nine tournaments over the final three weeks of the year could determine who goes to the Masters in April.

While the US PGA Tour season ended on Nov 2 when Davis Love III won at Disney World in Florida -- no, that did not qualify him for the Masters -- tournaments around the globe are causing subtle changes in the top 50 world ranking that decides who gets a Masters invitation.

Oliver Wilson of England was 55th at the start of November, but a runner-up finish in the HSBC Champions in Shanghai has moved him up to No 41, meaning J.B. Holmes likely will be the only Ryder Cup player who has yet to qualify for the Masters.

Jeev Singh won the Singapore Open, moving him up 17 spots to No. 44 Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland was languishing at No 79 until he tied for fourth in Singapore and tied for second in the Hong Kong Open, giving him a chance at No 49.

The biggest move belonged to Lin Wen-twang of Taiwan, who won the Hong Kong Open and has moved up from No 107 at the start of November to No 50 going into the final three weeks.
The top 50 at the end of 2008 earn invitations to the first major of the year.

Woody Austin ended the US PGA Tour season at No 46, but with so much movement into the top 50, he has dropped to No 51 and could drop even more.

The December schedule features three tournaments in South Africa, two in Australia, three on the Asian Tour and one in Japan.

If the ranking stays the way it is for the final month, the Masters field already will have 89 players going into next year. Then, the winners of 13 events on the US PGA Tour will get automatic invitations, along with the top 50 in the world ranking published a week before the Masters.

The last time the Masters had more than 100 players in the field was in 1966. -- AP