PGA Jallyupa vs LIV Members... Clash at the Masters

Woods, Scheffler, McIlroy, Rahm 'PGA Frontline'
Mickelson, Smith, Koepka, Johnson 'LIV Representatives'

An uncomfortable encounter.

Players remaining on the U.S. Professional Golfers' Association (PGA) Tour and those who transferred to LIV Golf, sponsored by Saudi Arabian capital, clash. On the 6th (local time), at Augusta National Golf Club (par 72, 7,545 yards) in Augusta, Georgia, USA, the 87th Masters, the season's first major tournament, will open, showcasing a battle of pride. This is the first Masters showdown between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf. A total of 88 players are participating in this year's Masters, among whom 18 belong to LIV Golf.

'PGA legacy' Tiger Woods (right) and 'LIV flagship' Phil Mickelson will face off in a pride battle at the Masters.

The major results between the two organizations stand at one win each. Last year, Matt Fitzpatrick (England) and Cameron Smith (Australia) won the U.S. Open and The Open, respectively. Since Smith transferred to LIV Golf, the PGA Tour and LIV Golf have each claimed one major victory. The Masters holds a unique prestige among the four major tournaments. The entry criteria are stringent. It is called the "dream stage" and the "battle of masters." Winning or losing at the Masters is a fight neither the PGA Tour nor LIV Golf can concede.

World No. 1 and defending champion Scottie Scheffler (USA) leads the PGA Tour. In the predicted rankings released by the U.S. golf media outlet Golf Channel ahead of the Masters' opening, Scheffler was ranked first. Scheffler is showcasing peak form, having secured his second win of the season and sixth career victory last month at The Players Championship, known as the "fifth major."

World No. 2 Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland) is challenging the "career Grand Slam," aiming to win all four different major tournaments. World No. 3 Jon Rahm (Spain) is eyeing his fourth win of the season. The "Golf Emperor" Tiger Woods (USA) is aiming for his sixth Masters victory. Additionally, players like Kim Joo-hyung, Im Sung-jae, Kim Si-woo, and Lee Kyung-hoon are dreaming of upsets.

On the other side, LIV Golf pins its hopes on Open Champion Cameron Smith. Smith was the only LIV Golf player to attend the official Masters press conference. He said, "It is unfortunate that moving to LIV Golf meant I couldn't participate in some tournaments I liked," but added, "I am happy with my current choice." He continued, "There are many good players in LIV Golf," expressing enthusiasm by saying, "I want to get on the course quickly and feel the love for Augusta again."

The determination of the oldest major champion Phil Mickelson (USA) is also exceptional. He has won the Masters three times?in 2004, 2006, and 2010. Mickelson participated in the Masters for 27 consecutive years from 1995 to 2021 but did not attend last year's tournament. Other LIV Golf hopefuls include Brooks Koepka, winner of the third LIV event last week, former world No. 1 Dustin Johnson (USA), and 2016 Masters champion Patrick Reed (all from the USA).

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.