The top LIV Golf players participating at the 2023 Masters
Whether you like it or not, the controversial breakaway league LIV Golf isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. In the last 12 months, the Saudi-backed organization have lured some of the biggest names in the sport away from the PGA Tour thanks to its eye-watering prize money and LIV will likely only grow further with time.
The news that those who have already made the switch will have the opportunity to still qualify for this year’s four majors means it is possible that the players who remained on the fence could be starting to sway towards a move to LIV. But for now, the focus is on the upcoming Masters — where PGA players will tee-off against their counterparts for the first time this season.
Many will argue that a PGA Tour representative will need to win golf’s most coveted prize for the sake of the sport’s integrity, and the good news is that the likes of Jon Rahm, Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler are the favourites in the golf us Masters 2023 odds. But LIV will have some serious challengers in the field, so let’s take a look at some of their big-hitters now.
Cameron Smith – 16/1
Earning qualification by winning last year’s Open Championship, Cameron Smith made the decision to switch to LIV Golf just weeks after winning the British major at the iconic St. Andrews in Scotland. The Australian had a good start to life on the new tour, finishing tied for fourth on his first start before winning in Chicago next time out.
Smith has played just twice so far this year, finishing 26th in Tucson before coming 6th in Mayakoba. The 29-year-old will need to perform better than that if he wants to get his hands on an illustrious Green Jacket, but it’s worth noting that he has three top five finishes in six starts at the Masters.
Dustin Johnson – 25/1
A man who knows what it takes to hold your nerve and land a Green Jacket having finally won the Masters in 2020, Dustin Johnson’s move to LIV Golf was perhaps one of the biggest blows to the PGA Tour last year.
One of the best golfers in the world, Johnson made the switch official last summer and has already made around $40 million in prize money after being crowned 2022’s individual champion. The former World No.1 has also played twice on the LIV Tour in 2023 at the time of the writing, with less than convincing results of 13th and 37th in Tucson and Mayakoba respectively.
The 4 Aces captain will need to play better than that if he wants a second Green Jacket this spring.
Brooks Koepka – 40/1
Those who have watched Netflix’s hit docuseries Full Swing will be well aware of the struggles Brooks Koepka has faced mentally in the last couple of years, but you will have also noticed that he has a special place reserved right in the middle of his trophy cabinet for the Masters title.
The chances of winning it this year are slim, however. After a few seasons of exceptional form in the late 2010s, winning back-to-back U.S. Opens in 2017 and 2018 and successive PGA Championships in 2018 and 2019 as well as recording T2 and T4 finishes at the Masters and The Open in 2019, Koepka’s game has fallen off massively.
He did manage to win on his LIV Golf debut in Jeddah last October, landing him a cool $4m. But he hasn’t won in his seven starts since, not even recording a top 10 finish in that time. 29th and 31st in Tucson and Mayakoba so far this year don’t make for good reading.
