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AUGUSTA, Ga. — So let’s say you are Fred Ridley, Chairman of Augusta National Golf Club and the Masters. You were one of the most powerful people in golf even before the PGA Tour and LIV Golf erupted into a feud that divided the sport.

Now, you may control everything.

By setting the qualification criteria for your venerable tournament, one that even LIV devotee Phil Mickelson calls his “favorite,” you have enormous influence over the ability of each tour to recruit and retain top talent.

You can do nothing and hand the PGA a long-term advantage by making it very difficult for LIV players to play at the biggest and most famous tournament in the world. For some players, no amount of LIV money can make up for that.

Or you can change criteria and make it easier for LIV players to qualify, handing it an advantage in luring players even if you personally don’t like LIV or its commissioner, Greg Norman. The reason for doing so is simple. LIV has some of the best players in the world and the Masters is supposed to be about bringing them together. Honoring that mission is paramount.

Essentially it’s about whether you care more about the institution of the PGA Tour or the institution of the Masters.

“I had the privilege of being a member, a partner in a law firm that’s 180 years old, and we exist today because of many generations of lawyers who thought it was important to leave our organization better than they found it,” Ridley said Wednesday, speaking to his mindset.

There are currently 19 ways to qualify for the Masters, everything from being a former champion (lifetime) to winning the Latin American Amateur (one year). There are 88 players in the field this year, including 18 who currently play for LIV.

The most accessible path to the Masters is to be among the top 50 of the World Golf Rankings. Those rankings, however, do not recognize LIV events because they are just 54 holes and contain no cut.

That means those 18 LIV golfers will quickly fade off — just nine are guaranteed to be in the Masters field next year and eight the year after.

There are the six former champions who are set for life — Phil Mickelson, Sergio Garcia, Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed, Charl Schwartzel and Bubba Watson. Three others are in the midst of five-year exemptions because they won recent major championships — Brooks Koepka (ends in 2024), Bryson DeChambeau (2025) and Cam Smith (2027).

Any young up-and-comer or current PGA player considering a jump to LIV would have to do so with the understanding that they are likely giving up on Augusta.

Listen to Ridley talk about golf’s civil war and you can easily ascertain that he would like to take that position. He holds clear animosity to LIV commissioner Greg Norman and declined to invite him to this year’s Masters in an effort to stop Norman from creating a media circus that would overshadow the competition.

And Ridley spent considerable time Wednesday lecturing LIV golfers about appreciating what the PGA Tour provided them and how “at a high level, [I] don’t necessarily agree with” their choice to leave.

“The platform that these players have built their careers on were based on the blood, sweat and tears of their predecessors, people like Ben Hogan, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, Tiger Woods,” Ridley said. “… It is appropriate that today’s players, all players, pause to respect and appreciate the opportunities made possible by the heroes and champions who went before them … [and] serve the game of golf and benefit the next generation.”

Without specifically saying it, Ridley sounded firmly on the PGA’s side. And, again, by not altering the qualification criteria, he can apply a sizable amount of pressure on the battle.

But what about the Masters?

Is the Masters still the Masters if some of the best in the world can’t reasonably qualify? It’s a thin roster at LIV right now (mostly end-of-their-career types). But what if another top young talent follows, say Cam Smith, but is left out of Augusta?

What responsibility do Ridley and the other members here have to the competitive sanctity of the Masters compared to the long-term health of the PGA Tour? Is going beyond the World Golf Rankings actually the right thing to do for the tournament?

“Yeah, we actually have discussed that, and that may well be something we do in the future,” Ridley said. “We really want to make sure that the Masters Tournament field is representative of the best players in the world, so we are constantly looking at those possibilities.”

Right now, Ridley and Augusta seem content to see how this plays out. He spoke about how the rhetoric between the two sides had settled down here this week, replaced by a measure of camaraderie.

“I’m hopeful that this week might get people thinking in a little bit different direction,” Ridley said.

The only change to the 2024 qualifying is that the NCAA champion will now receive a spot in the field. By next April, the LIV contingent could be halved and Augusta will reevaluate its position. Maybe.

“Things are evolving, and we need to make sure that we are flexible in that regard,” Ridley said. “So I’m sure there will be changes in the future.”

What those are and when they might come could change the course of the LIV-PGA battle, and the Masters itself.

So you’re Fred Ridley. What would you do?

Source: Yahoo

• The 87th Masters
• Venue: Augusta National, Georgia Date: 6-9 April
• Coverage: Live text commentary of all four rounds on BBC Sport website. Live radio commentary on Thursday from 20:00 BST and Friday from 21:00, on Saturday from 21:00 and Sunday from 20:00

Augusta National. The Green Jacket. Amen Corner. The manicured fairways. The blooming azaleas.

Unmistakably, the Masters.

Golf’s first men’s major of the year is upon us, with the world’s finest players making their annual pilgrimage to one of sport’s most iconic venues.

The first tee shot will be hit at 13:00 BST on Thursday – after the ceremonial drives from legendary champions Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Tom Watson – with a field of 88 aiming to sink the winning putt come Sunday.

Here are the main talking points going into the 87th edition of the Masters…

Can McIlroy finally land the Grand Slam?

Based on his current form and past performances at Augusta, this is another golden opportunity for Rory McIlroy to finally land the title which has so far eluded him.

The Northern Irishman blew a four-shot lead going into the final day of the 2011 Masters and has since finished in the top 10 on seven occasions.

In recent years, slow starts have stalled the 33-year-old’s attempts to complete a full sweep of the four majors in the men’s game.

Two months after missing out at the Masters, McIlroy lifted his first major at the 2011 US Open and went on to win the 2012 US PGA Championship before claiming back-to-back titles at the Open Championship and the PGA in 2014.

This week will be his 15th attempt at earning a Green Jacket and his ninth opportunity to become only the sixth man to complete the Grand Slam.

“I’ve got all the ingredients to make the pie,” McIlroy said. “It’s just putting all those ingredients in and setting the oven to the right temperature and letting it all sort of come to fruition.”

McIlroy bounced back from missing the cut in 2021 to come second behind Scottie Scheffler last year but, like on several previous occasions, an exhilarating final round of 64 came too little too late.

This week, arriving ranked second in the world and with four wins on the PGA Tour in the past 10 months, McIlroy has cut a relaxed yet focused figure.

At the recent WGC Match Play he drove the ball imperiously and has been putting well in his practice rounds this week at Augusta – key ingredients to be successful in the Masters.

“I’m feeling as relaxed as I ever have coming in here just in terms of I feel like my game is in a pretty good place,” said McIlroy.

“I know the place just as about as well as anyone.”

Can anyone stop Scheffler?

If you’re not tipping McIlroy for glory this week then you are probably backing defending champion and world number one Scottie Scheffler.

The 26-year-old American maintained his hot form last year to expertly win his first major and again starts as the most in-form player on the planet.

He already has two wins this season – including the prestigious Players Championship – and has the experience of knowing how to win at Augusta after last year’s dominant triumph.

Another victory would see him become only the fourth player to win back-to-back Masters, following Nicklaus (1965-66), Nick Faldo (1989-90) and Woods (2001-2002).

“Any time you can get mentioned in the same breath as a Tiger and a Jack and a Nick Faldo is really special,” said Scheffler.

“But it’s not a motivating factor for me to come out here and play. I’m just trying to play good golf and have fun.”

Who else could potentially challenge?

Like McIlroy and Scheffler, Spain’s world number three Jon Rahm has the form and the pedigree to win at Augusta.

Rahm, 28, has chalked up three wins on the PGA Tour this year, and has recorded four top-10 finishes in six previous Masters starts while never finishing lower than joint 27th.

American world number five Max Homa has rocketed up the rankings after an incredible year and hopes to make his breakthrough at a major, while there are several other strong hopes to keep the home fans excited.

Jordan Spieth, who won in 2015 before crumbling when leading in 2016, has chalked up two top-five finishes recently, while Ryder Cup team-mates Xander Schauffele, Tony Finau and Collin Morikawa have also been challenging on recent leaderboards.

Australian former world number one Jason Day – a perennial challenger for the biggest prizes in the 2010s – has also rediscovered his form on the PGA Tour and some have tipped him to become the Masters’ next comeback story.

What shape is Tiger in?

American great Woods is set to play in only his second tournament of the season, his playing time dictated by his own limitations following a high-speed car accident in February 2021.

The chances of 47-year-old Woods challenging for a sixth victory, which would equal Nicklaus’s record, are remote but he has still been impossible to ignore with huge galleries following his practice rounds.

And while the former long-time world number one admitted “I don’t know how many more I have in me”, he added “whether I am a threat or not who knows – people probably didn’t think I was a threat in 2019 either, but that turned out OK”.

Woods, who won his 15th major at Augusta in an emotional triumph four years ago, finished one under par on his first appearance in seven months at the Genesis Invitational last month.

Afterwards he conceded his remarkable comeback from the accident near Los Angeles, which led to fears his leg would have to be amputated, has been harder than he has “let on” publicly.

“I’m very lucky to have this leg; it’s mine,” Woods said. “The ability and endurance of what my leg will do going forward will never be the same. I understand that.

“That’s why I can’t prepare and play as many tournaments as I like, but that’s my future, and that’s OK.”

Eyes on the PGA v LIV rivalry

Another intriguing element is the prospect of a battle for the Green Jacket between players from the PGA Tour and LIV Golf.

Those who have joined the Saudi-backed breakaway LIV Golf circuit are banned from PGA Tour events but eligible to play in majors.

Six Masters champions are among the 18 LIV players who will tee up at Augusta. with major champions Cameron Smith, Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau also fronting their star power.

Three-time winner Phil Mickelson, 53, is another big-name and he returns after missing last year’s Masters for the first time in 28 years as part of a self-imposed hiatus.

With the warring factions continuing their power struggle, it provides added spice to what is already one of the most tantalising weeks in the golfing calendar – even though LIV’s two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson reckons the rivalry is simply a “media construct” and 2020 winner Dustin Johnson said “all my buddies are still my buddies”.

LIV commissioner Greg Norman, who was a three-time Masters runner-up, says one of the players winning would spark a group celebration on the 18th green – a provocative move likely to upset many unhappy with LIV’s approach.

“At the majors, top players in the world are going and playing against each other. It doesn’t matter what Tour they’re on,” said 2018 Masters champion Patrick Reed.

“For us, at least for myself, it’s going to be business as usual.”

Are any other UK players likely to contend?

McIlroy leads a pack of eight golfers from Great Britain and Northern Ireland aiming to land a rare Augusta win for the home nations.

England’s Matt Fitzpatrick is a reigning major champion after triumphing at last year’s US Open, but has joked he is only targeting “making the cut” after a season hampered by a neck injury.

Four other Englishman – Tommy Fleetwood, Tyrrell Hatton, Justin Rose and 2016 champion Danny Willett – are also among the field.

Scottish veteran Sandy Lyle, who famously won the 1988 title and sparked a wave of British success at Augusta, has announced his impending retirement and will fittingly end his career at the scene of one of his greatest triumphs.

At the other end of the experience scale, Northern Irish amateur Matthew McClean – a 29-year old optometrist – makes his debut after securing an invite by winning the US Mid-Amateur in September.

Will reshaped 13th hole prove pivotal?

Many things go unchanged at Augusta but this year there has been a significant modification to the course in the lengthening of the previously-gettable par-five 13th.

Historically, the hole known as ‘Azalea’ has played as the easiest at the Masters with a mountain of eagles and birdies setting up challenges for the Green Jacket.

As the players hit longer, they have been able to drive over the dogleg on the 510-yarder, then knock a short iron over a tributary to Rae’s Creek and onto the green with their second shot.

So Masters organisers have moved the tee box back 35 yards and present them with a different challenge.

“If you don’t quite hug the left side you’re going to have such a long iron in that a lot of people will choose to lay up,” said Rahm, who has played Azalea 24 times in competition and is a cumulative 14 under.

“But there’s still going to be a risk, more so risk/reward aspect to it, because if you hit the green and give yourself an eagle chance, it’s going to matter a lot more maybe than it did in the past.”

Could wet weather lead to a rare Monday finish?

As well as the Augusta traditions which we look forward to every year, there is also one other which we don’t – the annual fretting that rain could ruin the parade.

Despite the concerns, there have only ever been five Monday finishes in the Masters’ 89-year history because of wet weather.

However, there is a real fear this could be the first since 1983.

Rain is forecast on all four days as a warm start gives way to chillier weather, with the downpours predicted to get worse over the weekend.

How can you follow the Masters on the BBC?

The 87th Masters takes place from 6-9 April and you can follow the action on the BBC’s radio and digital platforms.

You can listen to live radio coverage on BBC Radio 5 Live, Sports Extra and BBC Sounds from 20:00 BST on Thursday and from 21:00 on Friday. Saturday’s coverage starts at 21:00 and the final round is live on Sunday from 20:00.

There will also be live text commentary, in-play clips, reaction and analysis on the BBC Sport website and mobile app from 12:30 on Thursday and Friday, and from 16:00 on Saturday and Sunday.

Source: BBC

The Masters is considered one of the most prestigious golf tournaments in the world, and this year’s event promises to be no exception. With an impressive lineup of former champions and current winners, the tournament is set to be a thrilling competition.

Among the competitors is the legendary Tiger Woods, who is expected to tee it up for the 25th time at Augusta National. Despite suffering a significant leg injury last year, Woods has made 23-of-24 cuts and boasts an impressive record of 14 top-10 finishes at the event. The 82-time PGA Tour winner has won the Masters five times and holds 15 major championship trophies, second only to Jack Nicklaus.

Another top contender is Scottie Scheffler, the world’s number one player. Scheffler will be looking to defend his Green Jacket after winning his first major at last year’s tournament. The Texan has already won five PGA Tour events, including the Phoenix Open and the Players Championship this year.

Jon Rahm, the 2021 U.S. Open winner, has been in exceptional form this year, with three titles under his belt already. He has finished in the top ten four times in six appearances at Augusta National, making him another player to watch out for.

Rory McIlroy, the World No. 2, is just one Masters victory away from completing the career grand slam. He has won every major except for the Masters, and he will be looking to rectify that this year. McIlroy has recorded a top-10 finish in every major tournament in 2022, and he will be aiming to build on his solo second-place finish at Augusta last year.

Finally, Phil Mickelson, the three-time Green Jacket winner, will be making his 30th appearance at Augusta National. The World Golf Hall of Fame member became the oldest player to win a major when he won the PGA Championship in 2021, and he will be hoping to add another major victory to his illustrious career.

Overall, the Masters promises to be an exciting tournament, with a strong field of players competing for one of the most coveted prizes in golf.

Rickie Fowler has been performing well in the golf world rankings this season after facing inconsistency issues in the past. However, his success will be put to the test at the World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play at Austin Country Club. His invitation to the upcoming Masters tournament could be at stake, as only the top 50 golfers in the world will be invited to Augusta National Golf Club after this week’s event.

Fowler is currently ranked No. 59 in the world and will need to maintain his focus if he hopes to secure a spot at the Masters in two weeks. He remains confident in his abilities, citing his successful finishes at the Fortinet Championship and the Zozo Championship last fall as proof of his potential.

To get back on track, Fowler reunited with his former swing coach, Butch Harmon, and parted ways with his former caddie, Joe Skovron. Despite once being ranked as the No. 4 player in the world, he began this year’s season at 185th.

Although Fowler has yet to win a major in his career, he remains a recognizable face on the course. He will have to perform well in Austin to advance to the Masters, but he faces some tough matchups, including the No. 2 player in the world, Jon Rahm, and past tournament winner Billy Horschel.

Fowler acknowledges that he will need to play his best over the course of the week. If he can make it out of group play, he may have a shot at winning the green jacket.