2026 Masters: 10 LIV Golf Players Compete as Saudi-Backed League Reshapes Professional Golf

The 2026 Masters Tournament at Augusta National brings together the world's top golfers, including ten players from LIV Golf, a league founded in 2021 and backed by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund. Town and Country magazine lists them as Bryson DeChambeau, Sergio Garcia, Tyrrell Hatton, Dustin Johnson, Tom McKibbin, Carlos Ortiz, Jon Rahm, Charl Schwartzel, Cameron Smith, and Bubba Watson, with five being past champions. Phil Mickelson withdrew due to a family health matter, reducing the group from last year's eleven. LIV Golf, named for the Roman numeral 54 to reflect its original shorter events, now shifts to 72-hole formats like PGA Tour tournaments to stay competitive. Players have flocked to LIV for lucrative contracts, signing bonuses, and lighter schedules, though the PGA Tour suspended members who joined, later offering a return path as Brooks Koepka did recently. This rivalry has transformed professional golf. ESPN analyst Alan Shipnuck notes LIV forced the PGA Tour to accelerate changes, moving from a glacial pace to rapid innovations amid private equity infusions and stronger leadership. While the PGA Tour leads with superior fields and no recent star defections since Jon Rahm, LIV endures as soft power for Saudi Arabia, prioritizing global influence, deal-making, and elite networking over profits. Shipnuck emphasizes its fields have strengthened with young talent, and retaining DeChambeau, now a box-office draw, keeps it relevant. The Masters, independently run by Augusta National, welcomes all eligible players regardless of tour, highlighting golf's unity amid the divide. As LIV evolves, it challenges the PGA to innovate, benefiting listeners who love the sport's drama. Thank you for tuning in, listeners. Come back next week for more. This has been a Quiet Please production, and for me, check out Quiet Please Dot A I. For more http://www.quietplease.ai Get the best deals https://amzn.to/3ODvOta This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.