Before a single shot was played at LIV Golf Miami last week, Jon Rahm insisted he was “confident” he or one of his new colleagues could win the Masters.
After play concluded Sunday night, the reigning Augusta National champion admitted it would be a “great story” if a LIV rebel could win on golf’s grandest stage.
The Saudi-backed tour may have acquired some of the best players in the world during its expensive recruiting campaign since 2022, but only one, Brooks Koepka at the 2023 PGA Championship, has won a major title while playing under LIV’s umbrella. No rebel has yet donned the green jacket after defection.
LIV chief executive Greg Norman made it clear 12 months ago that there would be huge celebrations on the 18th green at Augusta if one of his charges could pull it off.
Koepka came closest, Patrick Reed and Phil Mickelson took their best shots, but Rahm ultimately prevailed. Now with the Spaniard among its ranks, LIV brings a threatening group to the first major championship of this year.
Sergio García finished at the top of the leaderboard at LIV Golf Miami but lost in a two-hole playoff
Tyrrell Hatton and Jon Rahm helped Legion XIII win the team event a week before the Masters
The threat they pose became clear after the fifth round of LIV’s season concluded on Sunday night. Of the 13 players who headed north from Miami to Augusta, eight finished under par on the treacherous Blue Monster course at Trump Doral National.
It may be surprising that Sergio García was the chosen one of the group. He finished at 11 under par in the tournament, but had to settle for second place after a harrowing two-hole playoff with South African Dean Burmester.
The Spaniard, who won the Green Jacket in 2017, showed consistency throughout the week. He dropped four shots over the course of three rounds and nailed a long putt on the second-to-last hole of the tournament to stay in contention.
Rahm enters Augusta National without having won in a year, at least on an individual level, after another weekend in which he was solid but not good enough to win.
His Legion
Both Rahm and Hatton finished within three strokes of the top two; costly bogeys ruined his chances.
However, there is always the feeling that Rahm can accelerate whenever he wants and will need to be at his best to have any chance of competing with former PGA Tour foe Scottie Scheffler next week.
Rahm is the defending Masters champion and will be among the contenders again this year.
Hatton had a chance to win the individual event, but two late bogeys ultimately cost him his life.
Asked if his move to LIV had added an extra dimension to his battle with current world No. 1 and Rory McIlroy at Augusta, Rahm said: “The Masters is the Masters.
‘I don’t think it makes any difference if you play on the PGA Tour, LIV, European Tour or Sunshine Tour. A specialty is a specialty.
‘You could have asked me the same question last year with some of the LIV players. I wouldn’t say anything has been added to it.
Perhaps the man most confident in the Masters is Hatton, who briefly looked like he could win here only because two missed shots toward the end of his round proved decisive.
As is always the case with the tempestuous Englishman, Hatton’s biggest opponent is usually himself. If he can control his emotions, that will only put him in a better position to thrive.
If you like omens, then one notable statistic shows why this could be Hatton’s moment. Yon the past 20 years, the average Masters winner has been 32 years old, ranked 17th in the world and has made eight previous starts at Augusta.
Hatton turned 32 in October, is currently ranked 17th in the world and this year will mark his eighth Masters appearance. Based on the evidence in Miami, he’s not far away.
The depth of LIV’s talent heading to Augusta is evident in the following group of players, who finished within two shots of Rahm and Hatton.
Big hitter Bryson DeChambeau had a solid weekend and will be sure to head to Augusta.
Big hitter Bryson DeChambeau will be hell-bent on bending Augusta to his will. He’s quietly achieving a series of extremely impressive results at LIV events this season without making it to the podium.
The former US Open champion finished inside the top 10 in four of the five LIV events this season and posted a credible seven-under par for the tournament here.
Behind them was another Green Jacket holder, Reed and Joaquin Niemann, perhaps the fittest man in all of golf at the moment.
The Chilean has made his way to the Masters by winning the Australian Open and two LIV events this season and achieving two more top 5s on the DP World Tour. He will be a solid outside bet for Masters glory.
Adrian Meronk, European player of the year in 2023, was unable to build on a magnificent second round of six under par. He finished two up on Sunday to finish seven behind the leaders.
Dustin Johnson also had trouble maintaining consistency. The 39-year-old’s Masters victory came under the cloud of Covid-19. There were no customers and I would certainly give anything to put on the green jacket again in front of thousands of fans.
He was always off the pace of the leaders and a two-over round on Sunday ensured he finished in the middle of the field at one under par for the tournament.
Bubba Watson, with his elegant and effortless swing with the left hand, He would have been level with Garcia and others at the top of the leaderboard after the first day if he hadn’t made bogey on the 18th.
But then hitting six-over par in his next two rounds killed any early momentum and would be notable if he won a third Masters title next week.
Brooks Koepka had a torrid weekend in Miami and needs quick fixes to compete at Augusta
Charl Schwartzel, winner at Augusta in 2011, was the worst of the South African contingent representing his Stinger GC team this week.
While his compatriot Dean Burmester lifted the trophy and Louis Oosthuizen threatened to win, Schwartzel trailed the field with four overs.
Then there’s Koepka, who endured a torrid week and looks miles away from the man who threatened to spark a LIV takeover in Augusta 12 months ago.
After a solid three-under first round on Friday, he posted consecutive five-over cards to finish far back in the field.
Phil Mickelson finished eight up in his three rounds and another major title seems unlikely
It’s rare that his name isn’t mentioned during big tournament weekend, but he was a passenger throughout the process in Miami.
However, he is a man for the big occasions and can never be ruled out. After losing at Augusta last year, he won a third PGA Championship title just a month later.
In the last decade, Koepka has played in 35 majors. He has won five, finished seven in the top five and was in the top 10 13 times. He loves the big stage.
For Mickelson, his struggles continue. The 53-year-old has only finished under par in two of LIV’s five events this season.
Two four-over rounds wrapped up an even-par round on Saturday as he failed to make an impact here.
However, the three-time Masters champion showed on Sunday last year that he can still do it at Augusta.
And then there’s Cameron Smith. Will the Australian make it to the Masters?
He was forced to withdraw from this event after Friday’s first round, in which he finished three up due to food poisoning.
He is thought to be fit enough to compete at Augusta, but is looking for the kind of form that saw him edge out McIlroy to win the Open at St Andrews in 2022.
One thing is for sure. There are many reasons for LIV Golf to be excited to get to the Masters. Their 13 players include the defending champion and plenty of talent and experience.
Don’t be surprised if Norman has the party on the 18th green he wanted so much 12 months ago on Sunday night.