LIV players struggle at Augusta
The week underscored trouble for many LIV Golf returnees: Reuters and other outlets flagged that Jon Rahm opened with a disastrous 78, and multiple LIV names failed to make the weekend. (reuters.com) USA Today and The Athletic reported that 10 LIV members were in the field but that DeChambeau and Bubba Watson were among five LIV golfers who missed the cut, amid continuing debate about reintegration and tour politics. (usatoday.com) (nytimes.com)
Jon Rahm arrived at Augusta National as one of the hottest players on LIV Golf, then opened the Masters with a 6-over-par 78, his worst first round in a major since 2017. Reuters reported that Rahm had recently won in Hong Kong and still walked off Thursday saying he felt “frustrating” mistakes piling up at the year’s first major. (straitstimes.com) That bad start was not just a Rahm story. Golfweek reported that 10 LIV Golf players started the 2026 Masters and only five survived Friday’s cut, with no LIV player breaking par in the opening round. (golfweek.usatoday.com) Bryson DeChambeau was one of the biggest shocks. USA Today reported that DeChambeau, the 2024 United States Open champion, finished at 6 over after a triple bogey on the 18th hole Friday and missed the weekend. (usatoday.com) Bubba Watson missed the cut too, which matters more at Augusta than almost anywhere else because Watson owns two green jackets from 2012 and 2014. USA Today’s round-by-round LIV tracker listed Watson among the five LIV players who were done after 36 holes. (usatoday.com) The five LIV players who did make it were Rahm, Tyrrell Hatton, Patrick Reed, Cameron Smith, and Sergio Garcia. Golfweek reported that Rahm only got through by shooting 2-under 70 on Friday and making the cut on the number. (golfweek.usatoday.com) The smaller number in the field is part of the story. The Palm Beach Post reported before the tournament that LIV’s Masters presence had dropped from 18 players in 2023 to 10 in 2026, which turns every missed cut into a bigger statement about the league’s shrinking foothold in the majors. (palmbeachpost.com) That drop is tied to how players get into Augusta National. Augusta Chronicle reported that four of the 10 LIV players were in mainly because former Masters champions receive lifetime invitations, while LIV Golf still offers only limited help through world ranking points and major exemptions. (augustachronicle.com) So when LIV players struggle at Augusta, the argument is not only about one bad week. It is also about whether a league built around 54-hole events and a separate schedule is preparing players well enough for 72-hole major championships with cuts, pressure, and fields that punish one ugly afternoon. (reuters.com)
