After 266 days, the golf majors return with the 88th edition of the Masters Tournament. Called one of the most prestigious golf tournaments in the world, it takes place at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia from April 11-14. It’s the first major tournament of the year and every golfer wants to win the Masters in their career. In 88 years, only 54 players have won the tournament. When a player wins the Masters, they are invited back each year until they retire or stop going, and now that includes the rebel golfers who left to the Saudi-backed LIV Golf—the most recent winner, John Rahm, made a mad dash in December to LIV for a contract over $300 million. Rahm will return with other LIV defectors. 

Augusta is a par 72, 18-hole, 7,555-yard course, with a 12th hole deemed the most famous at the tournament. The Golden Bell is a 155-yard par 3 that has been proven difficult in 88 years of the Masters. Another famous hole is of course the 18th hole, Holly. This hole has seen some amazing moments, such as Tiger Woods winning his fifth Masters after a 14-year Augusta drought and an 11-year major tournament drought in 2019. 

While Tiger participating in the tournament is up in the air, most players who have won the Masters are not, especially the ones who left for LIV. Those players from LIV include Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed, Bubba Watson, Rahm, Brooks Koepka and others. In December 2022, Augusta released a statement saying that those who left for a rival league would be invited if they met the criteria, but this could be changed in the future. Also in October, it was reported that the statement from December would stand. 

LIV Golfers are trying to prove that they are still on the same level as PGA players. Koepka helped prove this point last year by winning the PGA Championship. Andrew Tropp ‘26 said “LIV has the talent and the players but not the market and the interest, but they can win the majors and compete at the same level as the players on the PGA.” LIV players almost won last year during which the PGA executives were holding their breath that a “rebel” doesn’t win the Masters. A month later, Koepka won the PGA Championship. 

While it’s going to be a fun tournament to watch, with LIV and PGA players going at it with the news of the merger still in the air. The PGA players will want to win the Masters to prove that LIV is not on the same level as they are, but LIV players are trying to prove that they are right for leaving.