Ten LIV Golf players have qualified for the 2026 Masters, while seven of their colleagues on the Saudi-backed tour will be watching from home. The split field tells a nuanced story about where LIV Golf stands in relation to the game’s most prestigious major championship — and which players have managed to keep one foot in the traditional golf world despite their departure from the PGA Tour.
Here is a look at every LIV golfer teeing it up at Augusta this week, ranked by their chances of contending for the green jacket.
The Genuine Contenders
Jon Rahm — The 2023 Masters champion remains one of the most talented players in the world regardless of which tour he competes on. Rahm’s Augusta record speaks for itself: a green jacket, multiple top-10 finishes, and the complete game that Augusta rewards. He enters as the highest-ranked LIV player in the field at approximately +950 odds. If Rahm’s putting cooperates — always the variable with the Spaniard — he has the game to win a second green jacket.
Bryson DeChambeau — Arriving at Augusta off back-to-back LIV Golf wins, DeChambeau is playing the best golf of his career at exactly the right moment. His transformation from controversial power hitter to beloved YouTube personality and consistently elite competitor has been one of golf’s most remarkable narratives. At +1000 odds, he represents genuine value for a player whose length off the tee gives him shorter approach shots into Augusta’s demanding greens.
The Dark Horses
Cameron Smith — The 2022 Open Championship winner has the short game wizardry that Augusta rewards. Smith’s ability to get up and down from impossible positions around the greens makes him dangerous on a course where recovery shots are worth their weight in green jackets. His iron play will need to be sharper than his recent LIV form suggests, but on any given week, Smith’s touch around the greens can compensate for wayward driving.
Tyrrell Hatton — The Englishman has been one of LIV Golf’s most consistent performers and brings a fiery competitiveness to Augusta. Hatton’s accuracy off the tee and strong iron play give him a foundation for contention, though his putting on Augusta’s treacherous greens will likely determine whether he finishes in the top 10 or the top 40.
Tom McKibbin — The young Northern Irishman represents LIV Golf’s future and arrives at Augusta with the fearlessness of youth. McKibbin’s talent is undeniable, and his experience as a Masters debutant could work in his favor — no scar tissue from previous Augusta disappointments, just raw ability meeting golf’s grandest stage.
The Veterans
Dustin Johnson — The 2020 Masters champion knows Augusta as well as almost anyone in the field. Johnson’s length and ability to overpower the course were on full display during his pandemic-era victory, and while his form on LIV Golf has been inconsistent, a return to Augusta has a way of sharpening his focus. At 41, Johnson is in the twilight of his competitive prime, but his talent ceiling at Augusta remains higher than most.
Sergio Garcia — The 2017 Masters champion returns to Augusta with the reverence of a past victor and the lingering hunger of a player who believes he can compete at the highest level. Garcia’s relationship with Augusta National has been complicated over the years, but the green jacket in his closet guarantees a lifetime exemption and a place in the Champions Dinner. His emotional connection to the tournament runs deep.
Bubba Watson — The two-time Masters champion brings creativity and shotmaking imagination that Augusta rewards. Watson’s ability to shape the ball in both directions — particularly his signature high cut with the driver — gives him options on Augusta’s tree-lined fairways that straighter hitters simply do not have. At 47, he is unlikely to contend for the title, but a nostalgic weekend run is never out of the question.
Charl Schwartzel — The 2011 Masters champion completes the LIV contingent of past Augusta winners. The South African’s game has quieted since his green jacket victory, but his Augusta experience and the comfort of familiar ground give him an edge over many higher-ranked players who lack his institutional knowledge of the course.
Carlos Ortiz — The Mexican rounds out the LIV Golf contingent at Augusta. Ortiz qualified through strong international results and represents the growing global footprint of professional golf at the Masters.
What This Field Tells Us About LIV and the Majors
The presence of 10 LIV players at the Masters — including four past champions — demonstrates that the path from the Saudi-backed league to the sport’s most exclusive events remains open, if narrower than it once was. Players who qualified through past victories, world ranking positions, or major championship results continue to earn their way to Augusta regardless of their primary tour affiliation.
However, the seven LIV players who did not qualify — including the prolific winner Joaquín Niemann — illustrate the consequences of competing outside the PGA Tour ecosystem. Without access to FedEx Cup points, consistent world ranking opportunities, and the visibility that PGA Tour events provide, some LIV players face an uphill battle to qualify for majors on merit alone.
For fans of the sport, the mixed field at the 2026 Masters is ultimately a positive development. The best players from both tours competing under one roof is what major championships are supposed to deliver, and this week at Augusta, the green jacket will go to the golfer who plays the best — regardless of which logo appears on their hat.
