Ross Fisher will make his first appearance at the Masters since 2012 after reaching the quarter-finals of the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play with a handsome win over Bubba Watson.
Fisher came into the tournament ranked 53rd in the world and it was projected that he needed to reach the last eight to earn enough ranking points to break back into the top 50 and secure an invite to Augusta National.
The Englishman defied the pressure to win his group with a play-off win over Louis Oosthuizen, and he followed that up with a superb run of form after the turn against Watson before completing a 4&3 victory by holing out from a bunker at the 15th.
Fisher was unable to extend his run in the event as he suffered a 4&3 defeat to Hideto Tanihara in the last eight, but he was already safe in the knowledge that he would be in the field at the Masters for the fifth time in his career.
The 36-year-old had looked out of the running for a place at the first major of the year until earning a tie for third place at the WGC-Mexico Championship, which propelled him from 72nd to 55th in the world rankings.
The five-time European Tour winner will now appear inside the top 50 when the new rankings are published on Monday after hitting back from one down against Watson, who bogeyed the eighth and ninth to gift Fisher the momentum heading into the back nine.
Fisher then holed out for a winning birdie from the fringe at the 11th and nailed a clutch putt to match Watson's birdie at the next before the American found water at the 13th and handed Fisher a three-hole lead.
Both players holed great putts from outside 15 feet to halve the 14th, but Fisher secured a deserved win at the next as his perfect bunker escape dropped into the cup.
"Getting into the top 50 was the goal at the start of the week, but I still was turning up here and trying to win the golf tournament," said Fisher, whose best performance at Augusta was a tie for 15th in 2011. "I was trying to put the Masters to the back of my mind.
"After Wednesday, it was looking a little bit too far away, but I hung in there and fought really, really hard. To get to where I have this week, I'm obviously delighted. I'm disappointed with this afternoon, but it was one of those days. I just didn't quite have it on the greens.
"But it's a good consolation that I get to play in two weeks time. I can look forward to taking a week off and I think I'll probably stay over in the States, rest over at Lake Nona and hopefully Jo and the kids will join me at the end of the week."
Fisher is also relishing the prospect of having his children caddie for him during the traditional par-three contest on the Wednesday of Masters week.
He added: "I'll try to get to Augusta on Saturday to secure one of those nice tee times for Wednesday. It would be a dream come true to have Harry and Eve caddie for me in the par-three. I've played there obviously before when they were still too young, but now they are a great age of seven and five. It will be a truly memorable week."