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Defending Champ Jon Rahm Leads 13-Man LIV Golf Contingent Into The Masters

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3 weeks ago

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Starting Thursday, 13 of the 89 players set to tee off at the Masters will be competing under the LIV Golf flag. That number is down from 18 a year ago, and several golfers playing well on the LIV circuit are conspicuous by their absence.

The reason, of course, is the lack of Official World Golf Ranking points for LIV events. Otherwise, we would surely see defending series champion Talor Gooch and Dean Burmester, who has lifted three trophies since last November (two DP World Tour and one LIV event).

Another reason we’re not seeing more LIV players in Augusta is still a lack of a deal between the PGA Tour and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), who entered into a framework agreement more than 10 months ago now and have been unable to hammer out a deal.

That part is frustrating to Rahm, who spoke about the issue on Tuesday:

“I understood my position, and I understood that it could be, what I hoped, a step toward some kind of agreement, or more of an expedited agreement. But, unfortunately, that’s not up to me. I would hope it would be something that would help expedite that process. But at the end of the day, I still did what I thought was best for myself.”

It’s a big day for Rahm, who will be hosting the Masters Champions Dinner this evening.

Here are the 13 LIV members competing for the green jacket this week and how they qualified.

Jon Rahm: Exempt for life due to 2023 Masters win.

Bryson DeChambeau: Exempt through 2025 due to 2020 U.S. Open win.

Dustin Johnson: Exempt for life due to 2020 Masters win.

Brooks Koepka: Exempt through 2028 due to 2023 PGA Championship win (was runner-up in 2023 Masters).

Phil Mickelson: Exempt for life due to 2004 Masters win; also won here in 2006 and 2010.

Cameron Smith: Exempt through 2027 due to 2022 Open Championship win.

Sergio Garcia: Exempt for life due to 2017 Masters win.

Patrick Reed: Exempt for life due to 2018 Masters win.

Charl Schwartzel: Exempt for life due to 2011 Masters win.

Bubba Watson: Exempt for life due to 2012 Masters win; also won in 2014.

Tyrrell Hatton: Qualified due to being in the top 50 of the OWGR at the end of 2023.

Adrian Meronk: Qualified due to being in the top 50 of the OWGR at the end of 2023.

Joaquin Niemann: Earned a special invitation after winning ISPS Handa Australian Open on DP World Tour in Dec. 2023 and two LIV Golf wins this winter.

Cover Image via LIV Golf

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Chris has worked in sports journalism for nearly 20 years and also loves the game of golf, even though it often doesn't love him back. Year-round golf is a perk of living in Florida, where Chris moved from his native New York shortly after graduating from college. Chris has played some famous courses in the state, including Bay Hill in Orlando and Innisbrook in the Tampa Bay area, and next on his to-do list is the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass to take a crack at the famous island hole.

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