After months of hypothesis, LIV Golf gamers will be allowed to compete at this year’s Masters, with Augusta chiefs opting towards imposing a ban.
Regardless of the PGA Tour banning LIV gamers from competing of their occasions, the Augusta Nationwide Golf Membership confirmed again in December that they are going to be allowed to tee off on the match.
There continues to be an ongoing conflict between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf after various high-level professionals opted to make the swap to the brand new sequence in 2022.
Since its inaugural occasion final 12 months, LIV Golf has continued to divide opinion throughout the game, with many high professionals believing that the LIV gamers are cash grabbers.
However who’re the ‘insurgent’ LIV gamers competing at this 12 months’s Masters? And have any present LIV golfers beforehand gained the match? Sportsmail supplies all of the solutions beneath.
Saudi-backed LIV Golf has divided opinion throughout {the golfing} world since its formation
As ever, the match will happen on the Augusta Nationwide Golf Membership in Georgia
Who’re the LIV golfers competing this 12 months?
In what guarantees to be an entertaining few days of motion, there can be 18 LIV Golf gamers in complete competing on the first main of the 12 months.
The likes of Phil Mickelson, Charl Schwartzel, Bubba Watson, Sergio Garcia, Patrick Reed and Dustin Johnson are just a few names {golfing} followers can be conversant in who’re set to characteristic at Augusta.
Open champion Cameron Smith is one other who will characteristic. Smith acquired an automated invitation after ending within the top-12 golf rankings final 12 months.
The total checklist of LIV gamers competing at this 12 months’s Masters are as adopted:
- Phil Mickelson
- Charl Schwartzel
- Bubba Watson
- Sergio Garcia
- Patrick Reed
- Dustin Johnson
- Brooks Koepka
- Bryson DeChambeau
- Cameron Smith
- Mito Pereira
- Joaquin Niemann
- Abraham Ancer
- Thomas Pieters
- Harold Varner III
- Jason Kokrak
- Kevin Na
- Louis Oosthuizen
- Talor Gooch
Phil Mickelson is one in all many high-level LIV Golf gamers competing at this 12 months’s Masters
Bubba Watson is one other well-known identify who can be participating at this 12 months’s match
What has been stated about LIV gamers competing this 12 months?
Regardless of being disillusioned within the developments in golf over the past 12 months, Augusta Nationwide Golf Membership chairman Fred Ridley revealed their focus is to carry collectively a ‘preeminent subject of golfers’ this coming April.
In an announcement launched again in December, Ridley stated: ‘Regrettably, current actions have divided males’s skilled golf by diminishing the virtues of the sport and the significant legacies of those that constructed it.
‘Though we’re disillusioned in these developments, our focus is to honour the custom of bringing collectively a preeminent subject of golfers this coming April.
‘Subsequently, as invites are despatched this week, we are going to invite these eligible underneath our present standards to compete within the 2023 Masters Event. As now we have stated prior to now, we have a look at each side of the match every year, and any modifications or adjustments to invitation standards for future tournaments can be introduced in April.
‘Now we have reached a seminal level within the historical past of our sport. At Augusta Nationwide, now we have religion that golf, which has overcome many challenges by the years, will endure once more.’
Have any LIV golfers beforehand gained the Masters?
There are presently six LIV gamers who’ve beforehand gained the Masters match.
Phil Mickelson has gained the Masters 3 times in his profession. His first success got here in 2004. The American would then go on to win the match once more in 2006 and 2010.
Charl Schwartzel is one other LIV participant to beforehand win the Masters after his success in 2011.
Phil Mickelson (L) has gained the Masters 3 times in his skilled profession to this point
Sergio Garcia is one other LIV participant who has beforehand gained the Masters after his win in 2017
Bubba Watson, like Mickelson, has gained the Masters greater than as soon as. Watson’s two victories got here in 2012 and 2014.
Sergio Garcia and Patrick Reed are two others gamers who’ve gained the Masters. Garcia’s win came in 2017, whereas Reed won the tournament a year later. Reed’s win in Augusta was his first main title.
Dustin Johnson is the newest LIV participant to win a Masters title after his victory in 2020.
When is the Masters?
This 12 months’s Masters can be held from Thursday, April 6, till Sunday, April 9.
As at all times, the match will happen on the Augusta Nationwide Golf Membership in Georgia.
The motion is ready to get underway at 2pm within the UK on the primary two days, and 4pm on the ultimate two days.
With play getting underway at 2pm within the UK for the primary two days, the motion within the US will begin at 9am ET and 8am CT.
The ultimate two days of the match will begin at 11am ET and 10am CT.
The Masters is the primary golf main of the 12 months with the world’s greatest going head-to-head
The best way to watch
Sky Sports activities can be broadcasting all of the motion all through the week. The build-up to the match began yesterday forward of the opening day on Thursday.
Protection of the featured teams can be proven dwell on Sky Sports activities Golf on Thursday from 2pm.
Golf followers may also have the ability to stream the motion on the official Sky Go app.
The principle motion will get underway at 7.30pm UK time.
