Will LIV Golf players be allowed to play at the 2023 Masters?
THE most prestigious tournament on the golf calendar, the Masters returns on April 6th.
LIV Golf has divided the world of professional golf since it began at Centurion Club in June 2022.
Led by former world No. 1 golfer Greg Norman, LIV Golf is funded by the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund.
The Invitational Series has poached some of the biggest names on the PGA Tour.
Golfers who competed in the Saudi Arabia-sponsored golf league without a permit have been suspended from the PGA Tour.
Can LIV golfers play at Masters 2023?
LIV golfers have been confirmed to be allowed to compete in Augusta this year.
Former Green Jacket winners Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed, Bubba Watson, Charl Schwarzel, Sergio Garcia and Phil Mickelson will all be at this year’s Masters despite their move to LIV Golf.
In addition to the tournament’s previous winners, Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka and Cameron Smith will qualify as they have all won a Major in the past five years.
In addition, Louis Oosthuizen, Abraham Ancer, Talor Gooch, Harold Varner III, Jason Kokrak, Kevin Na, Joaquin Niemann and Thomas Pieters will also be invited as they were in the top 50 of the 2022 final golf world rankings.
Former members of the European Ryder Cup team and current LIV golfers Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood are currently ineligible to play.
What did the organizers of the Masters say about LIV participation?
A statement from event organizers said: “Unfortunately, recent actions have divided men’s professional golf, diminishing the virtues of the game and the significant legacies of those who built it.
“While we are disappointed by these developments, our focus is to honor the tradition of bringing together an outstanding field of golfers this coming April.
“As such, when invitations are sent out this week, we will be inviting those who are eligible under our current criteria to enter the 2023 Masters tournament.
“As we have said in the past, we review every aspect of the tournament each year and any modifications or changes to the invitation criteria for future tournaments will be announced in April.
“We have reached a turning point in the history of our sport.
“At Augusta National, we have faith that golf, which has overcome many challenges over the years, will endure again.”
