| Defending Champion | ||
| The Leading Player** from the 2011 Portugal Masters | ||
| Top Four Players from the final 2011 R2D Rankings | ||
| The Leading player ** from the 2012 Volvo Golf Champions | ||
| The Leading Player ** from the 2012 Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship | ||
| The Leading Player ** from the 2012 Commercialbank Qatar Masters | ||
| Leading European Player on the OWGR post 2012 US Masters | ||
| Leading Africa/Middle East Player on the OWGR post 2012 US Masters | ||
| Leading North American Player on the OWGR post 2012 US Masters | ||
| Leading South American Player on the OWGR post 2012 US Masters | ||
| Leading Asian Player on the OWGR post 2012 US Masters | ||
| Leading Australasia Player on the OWGR post 2012 US Masters | ||
| Leading 2 Players on the OWGR post 2012 US Masters | ||
| The winners of the 4 Major Championships following 2012 US Masters | ||
| Leading Player(s) from the 2012 R2D Rankings following 2012 US Masters | ||
| The Leading Player ** not otherwise exempt from the 2012 Volvo China Open | ||
| One sponsor invite from the top 50 of the OWGR following the 2012 US Masters |
** NB To qualify through categories (ii, iv, v, vi and xi), a player must already be a member
Notes on Qualification
Prior to the seeds being announced at 0900 on Monday of the Championship any places in the field unfilled from categories (i – vi) and (xi), (through withdrawals, players not taking up their exemption or insufficient qualifiers due to the floor of 5th place in the nominated qualifying events), will be filled with the next highest ranked player(s) from the final 2011 European Tour Race to Dubai Rankings.
Prior to the seeds being announced at 0900 on Monday of the Championship any places in the field unfilled from categories (vii) and (viii) (through withdrawals or players not taking up their exemption) will be filled with the next highest ranked player(s) from the Official World Golf Ranking following the completion of the 2012 US Masters.
Prior to the seeds being announced at 0900 on Monday of the Championship any places in the field unfilled from category (x) (through withdrawals or players not taking up their exemption) will be filled with the next highest ranked player(s) from the 2012 European Tour Race to Dubai Rankings following the completion of the 2012 US Masters.
Prior to the seeds being announced at 0900 on Monday of the Championship any player that withdraws from Category (xii) will be replaced with another sponsor invite from the OWGR top 50 following the completion of the 2012 US Masters. If no such player is available within the top 50 OWGR then the next highest ranked player on the 2012 Race to Dubai Rankings following the completion of the 2012 US Masters will qualify.
After the seeds have been announced the designated ‘Reserve’ player will qualify in the event of a player withdrawing. The designated reserve player will be the highest available player (not otherwise exempt) from the Race to Dubai Rankings following the completion of the 2012 US Masters.
