Bryson DeChambeau topped the list of LIV golfers at the Masters
Since the LIV Golf Tour started two years ago, luring many of the world’s best players away from the PGA Tour, the major championships have become the few times that fans see all the best players in the world together.
Hence The Masters too saw 13 LIV Golfers in the field, with 8 of them creditably making the halfway cut. Bryson DeChambeau, was joint leader over the initial 36 holes and proved that the competitiveness of these champions has not been diminished by playing for guaranteed money, no cuts and 54 hole shotgun starts on the LIV Tour.
At the 2023 Masters Championship, three LIV Golfers secured top-5 finishes, and this time, three landed within the top-10. DeChambeau and Cameron Smith, finished tied 6th while Tyrrell Hatton, who followed Jon Rahm to LIV recently, secured 9th place.
Patrick Reed, the 2018 Masters champion, delivered a steady performance with rounds of 74-70-73-72, ending tied-12th at 1-over 289.
What was good to see was that fans are no longer critical of players who have moved to the LIV Tour – the kind of applause, support and encouragement given to LIV Tour players like John Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka, Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson and others has not diminished. Spectators continue to appreciate them for the champions that they are and the quality of golf they play. No heckling or boos were to be heard at Augusta and the LIV players responded equally to good shots by any of these players as they did with those who continue to play the PGA Tour.
Other LIV Golfers and their finishes –
Joaquin Niemann – 70-78-71-73 for tied-22nd at 4-over par
Phil Mickelson – 73-75-74-74 for tied-43rd at 8-over par
Brooks Koepka – 73-73-76-75 for tied-45th at 9-over par
Jon Rahm – 73-76-72-76 for tied-45th at 9-over par
Photo – Bryson DeChambeau