Masters chairman Hootie Johnson has hinted that Colin Montgomerie missed out on Augusta's only wild-card to satisfy Japan's television market.
Shingo Katayama was favoured for the final place over the Scot, who will not play for the first time since 1991.
"Colin will be back to the Masters one way or another surely, but we have a long relationship with Japan - the most populous golfing nation," said Johnson.
"We do have a big broadcast over there and that does influence us."
Neither player won automatic selection to Augusta as one of the world's top 50, but Japan's Katayama - ranked 71st in the world - is 18 places below Montgomerie.
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