The Masters will allow golfers who joined LIV Golf to play in the tournament next year; “Although we are disappointed in these developments, our focus is to honor the tradition of bringing together a pre-eminent field of golfers this coming April,” said chairman Fred Ridley.
Last Updated: 20/12/22 4:48pm
Sergio Garcia, Dustin Johnson and Patrick Reed are among LIV golfers who will be eligible to play at The Masters in 2023
LIV golfers will be allowed to compete in The Masters in 2023, organizers at Augusta National have confirmed.
Despite the fracture in the sport brought about by LIV Golf, the tournament organizers say their ultimate focus is to bring together “a pre-eminent field of golfers” and they will invite players who are eligible under their current criteria.
It means previous champions such as Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed, Sergio Garcia, Bubba Watson, Charl Schwartzel and Phil Mickelson will be at The Masters in April, which will be shown live on Sky Sports.
Cameron Smith, Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka are among the LIV players who will also qualify as a result of winning a major in the past five years.
Phil Mickelson in action at the LIV Golf Team Championship-Miami (Associated Press)
R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers said in July that banning LIV players from next year’s Open was “not on the agenda”, but did not rule out changing the championship’s entry criteria.
Masters chairman Fred Ridley took a similar stance on Tuesday, saying in a statement that the entry criteria for 2023 would remain the same, with any possible future changes announced in April.
In a statement, Ridley said: “From its inception in 1934, the purpose of the Masters Tournament has been to benefit the game of golf. Each April, the Masters assembles the world’s leading golfers to compete for the Green Jacket and a place in history It provides a stage for fans to experience dramatic moments of competition at the highest level and promotes the sport domestically and abroad.
“Through the years, legends of the game have competed and won at Augusta National Golf Club. Champions like Gene Sarazen, Byron Nelson, Ben Hogan, Sam Snead, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, Tom Watson, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods have become heroes to golfers of all ages. They have inspired some to follow in their footsteps and so many others to play and enjoy the game. They have supported the sport and, thus, all who benefit from it. They have shown respect for those who came before them and blazed a trail for future generations. Golf is better because of them.
Cameron Smith is another top player who joined LIV (Associated Press)
“Regrettably, recent actions have divided men’s professional golf by diminishing the virtues of the game and the meaningful legacies of those who built it. Although we are disappointed in these developments, our focus is to honor the tradition of bringing together a pre-eminent field too many golfers this coming April.
“Therefore, as invitations are sent this week, we will invite those eligible under our current criteria to compete in the 2023 Masters Tournament. As we have said in the past, we look at every aspect of the Tournament each year, and any modifications or changes to invitation criteria for future tournaments will be announced in April.
“We have reached a seminal point in the history of our sport. At Augusta National, we have faith that golf, which has overcome many challenges through the years, will endure again.”
Who is eligible
There are currently 16 LIV golfers eligible for the 2023 Masters, under differing criteria:
Past Champions:
- Dustin Johnson
- Patrick Reed
- Phil Mickelson
- Bubba Watson
- Sergio García
- Charles Schwartzel
Major Exemption (winning any major within the last five years):
- Cam Smith
- Bryson DeChambeau
- Brooks Koepka
Top 50 in the world at the end of 2022:
- Talor Gooch
- Kevin Na
- Joaquin Niemann
- Jason Kokrak
- Louis Oosthuizen
- Harold Varner III
- Abraham Ancer
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