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With LIV Golf peeling off more and more stars from the PGA Tour, it begs the question: which league will shine the brightest?
The Masters Tournament is finally upon us. That magical week that every golf fan looks forward to is here. But this year might very well be different than any other.
The PGA Tour is in flux as the emergence of LIV Golf has forced the former to make major changes.
With so many stars leaving for LIV, the Tour started the Player Incentive Program and created Signature Events that bring with it significantly larger purses. That, of course, put pressure on sponsors, some of which announced they were ending their partnership with the PGA Tour.
It has been a wild two years with no end in sight.
Thankfully, we at least get all of the best players in the world in one place at the same time. So, that begs the question: Which league will shine the brightest and send a member into Butler Cabin donning a Green Jacket?
PGA Tour Badly in Need of a Win
Upon the Saudi-funded LIV Golf hitting the scene, Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan went scorched earth on the upstart league. He went so far as to get 9/11 Justice on its side, considering Saudi Arabia’s ties to the terrorist attacks in 2001.
Yet, one year later a shocking deal was announced between the two sides.
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From there, it has been one public relations hit job after another for the PGA Tour. 9/11 Justice has since turned on Monahan, and understandably so. Players themselves have expressed disappointment and anger toward being left in the dark.
It is safe to say, the PGA Tour could use a PR win.
Well, what better place to get one than at Augusta National?
Scottie Scheffler leads a stacked, deep lineup of talented players looking for a major trophy. World No. 2 Rory McIlroy appears to have turned a corner after meeting with swing coach Butch Harmon.
Xander Schauffele has been incredibly consistent this year. Wyndham Clark is having not only the best year of his career, but if he wins this week, one could argue one of the better years in recent memory.
But it is the depth of the PGA Tour that truly stands out compared to LIV.
Jordan Spieth is always capable of winning any tournament. Tony Finau is playing very well and knows Augusta well. Patrick Cantlay is a dog and won’t ever back away from a challenge. Did you watch last year’s Ryder Cup?
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Viktor Hovland, Will Zalatoris, Justin Thomas, Tommy Fleetwood, Hideki Matsuyama, Matt Fitzpatrick, Shane Lowry, Collin Morikawa, Cam Young, Sam Burns, Max Homa, Sahith Theegala, Jason Day, Adam Scott and Brian Harman are all world class golfers.
Any one of them could win and no one would be surprised.
Depth is on the Tour’s side.
LIV Golf Heavy at the Top
LIV, no matter what the shills online like to say, cannot compete with the Tour in terms of depth of talent.
That is inarguable.
However, at the top, a very strong argument can be made that they are in better shape.
The rival circuit currently has players who have won two of the last four U.S. Open’s, PGA Championships and Masters Tournaments.
They are highlighted by Jon Rahm, the reigning Masters champion. But when your second best option is Brooks Koepka, a five-time major champion, that’s impressive.
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Phil Mickelson might be getting up there in age, but a second place finish last year in Augusta proved he can still compete. Bryson DeChambeau, Cameron Smith, Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed, Bubba Watson, Charl Schwartzel and Sergio Garcia are all former major winners.
They didn’t just peel off talent from the PGA Tour. They took some of the very best.
Coincidentally, Jaoquin Niemann might be playing better than any of those guys right now.
In total, there are 13 members of LIV playing in this year’s Masters. Each of them are a legit threat to take home the Green Jacket.
As I mentioned above, the PGA Tour really needs to put a check mark in the PR win column. A victory at Augusta would do that.
But I just don’t see it. The only odds-on favorite to win the Masters this century is Tiger Woods, who did it three times. Scheffler will contend, but I don’t foresee him winning it again.
Too many others either don’t play well here, or are not in good form entering this week.
Meanwhile, the LIV players are coming in looking to make a statement, as Garcia pointed out.
If I am favoring one side or the other, I believe the scale tips toward LIV Golf.
Kendall Capps is the Senior Editor of SB Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, follow us @_PlayingThrough on all major social media platforms.
