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How come LIV golfers can play in the Masters?

Kelsey Dallas
·3 min read
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Jon Rahm, of Spain, hits on the 12th hole during a practice round in preparation for the Masters golf tournament at Augusta National Golf Club, Tuesday, April 9, 2024, in Augusta, Ga.
Jon Rahm, of Spain, hits on the 12th hole during a practice round in preparation for the Masters golf tournament at Augusta National Golf Club, Tuesday, April 9, 2024, in Augusta, Ga. | Matt Slocum

Will a LIV golfer win the 2024 Masters?

You shouldn’t count it out given last year’s results.

In 2023, LIV golfers Brooks Koepka and Phil Mickelson tied for second behind Jon Rahm, who, at that point, was still part of the PGA Tour. Rahm has since joined LIV Golf.

How do you qualify for the Masters?

Eighty-nine golfers will compete in the 2024 Masters.

The size of the field changes each year because of the tournament’s unique qualifying rules, according to The Washington Post.

Each of the 89 golfers qualified in one of the following ways:

  • Previously won the Masters. (Rahm, Koepka, Mickelson, Tiger Woods and other previous winners have lifetime access to the tournament.)

  • Won one of the PGA Tour’s other three majors — the British Open, U.S. Open or PGA Championship — in the past five years.

  • Won the Players Championship in the past three years.

  • Won one of five high-profile amateur tournaments or was runner-up at the U.S. Amateur.

  • Finished in the top 12, including ties, at the 2023 Masters.

  • Won one or more of the full-field PGA events that took place since last year’s Masters.

  • Ranked in the top 50 of the Official World Golf Ranking as of Dec. 31, 2023, and April 1, 2024.

  • Received a special invite from Augusta National Golf Club, which hosts the Masters.

Brooks Koepka
Brooks Koepka hands over his club on the second hole during a practice round in preparation for the Masters golf tournament at Augusta National Golf Club, Tuesday, April 9, 2024, in Augusta, Ga. | Ashley Landis

Can LIV golfers compete in the Masters?

Golfers who leave the PGA Tour for LIV Golf can no longer compete in PGA Tour events.

But they can compete in the Masters — and the other three majors — if they meet the qualification rules set forward by the tournament’s organizing body, as Front Office Sports previously reported.

Since LIV golfers don’t receive Official World Golf Ranking points through their participation in LIV Golf tournaments, it’s difficult for them to gain entry that way, according to The Washington Post.

The most straightforward path to the Masters for a LIV golfer is to win the Masters (and thereby gain lifetime entry) or another major.

They can also try to earn a special invite in recognition of their star power.

Fred Ridley, chairman of the Augusta National Golf Club, said Wednesday that he’s open to inviting high-performing LIV golfers to the tournament in the future.

“We’re an invitational,” he said, according to Daniel Rapaport of Barstool Sports.

Could a LIV golfer win the 2024 Masters?

The favorite to win the Masters this year is world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, according to CBS Sports. He is part of the PGA Tour.

But bettors are also predicting strong performances from LIV Golf’s Rahm and Koepka.

To have a chance at winning, golfers need to make the cut after the first two days of play. Only the top 50 players (plus ties) advance to the weekend, The Washington Post reported.

What LIV golfers are in the 2024 Masters?

Rahm, Koepka and Mickelson are among the 13 LIV golfers participating in this year’s Masters, according to USA Today’s Golfweek.

Here are the other 10:

  • Bryson DeChambeau.

  • Sergio Garcia.

  • Tyrrell Hatton.

  • Dustin Johnson.

  • Adrian Meronk.

  • Joaquin Niemann.

  • Patrick Reed.

  • Charl Schwartzel.

  • Cameron Smith.

  • Bubba Watson.

How to watch the Masters live

On Thursday and Friday, the Masters will air on ESPN and stream on ESPN+. Coverage starts at 1 p.m. MDT, according to The Washington Post.

On Saturday, the Masters will air on CBS and stream on Paramount+ starting at 1 p.m. MDT.

The tournament will be on CBS and Paramount+ again Sunday but coverage will start an hour earlier, at noon MDT, per The Washington Post.