As a LIV golfer not ranked in the world's top 50, Niemann would ordinarily have missed a spot in the Masters field, as many of his in-form colleagues like Talor Gooch and Abraham Ancer have.
But Augusta National broke from tradition to offer Niemann a special invitation.
"We felt that Joaquin had not only a great record coming up to this year but, after his season, he went to Australia, played very well there, finished fourth in the Australian PGA, won the Australian Open, one of the great, great championships in the world," chairman Fred Ridley said in his Masters eve press conference.
"And we thought he was deserving of a special invitation.
"Now, historically, and as stated in our qualification criteria, we consider international players for special invitations. But we do look at those every year and I will say that if we felt that there were a player or players, whether they played on the LIV Tour or any other tour, who were deserving of an invitation to the Masters, that we would exercise that discretion with regard to special invitations."
Joaquin Niemann holds up the Stonehaven Cup after winning the 2023 Australian Open. (Dan Himbrechts/AAP PHOTOS)
Australian golf great Ian Baker-Finch, the incoming new chair of Golf Australia, commended the call.
"I like the fact that the Masters isn't not inviting the guys that aren't playing PGA to them," Baker-Finch said on Wednesday.
"The numbers - 46 Americans and 43 foreigners and non-Americans are here. It's good. I like the way they do it and I'm glad he got an invite."
Ridley said Augusta National would continue being flexible and open to changes, as evident by the fact that almost every hole on the fabled course has now been tweaked in some way over the years.
For this year's Masters, the only change was at the par-5 second hole.Â
The "Pink Dogwood" was already the longest on the course and this week will measure 585 yards after the tee box was positioned 10 yards further back and to the left.
But Ridley ruled out bowing to former champion Vijay Singh's plea to lengthen the famous par-3 12th to make it, according to the Fijian, more challenging.
At 155 yards, the 12th is the shortest hole on the course and one of the world's most famous with its fickle winds, narrow green and looming water thwarting many runs for the Masters green jacket over the years.
"That's almost like asking can we touch up the Mona Lisa a little bit," said Ridley.
"It is such an iconic hole that's had so many important moments in the Masters that I'm not sure that another 10 yards would really make a difference.
"Players are hitting short irons, but doesn't seem to matter, the hole is very difficult."
