Big-name PGA, LIV Golf players kept separate at Masters

Scottie Scheffler tees off during the first round of the World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play golf tournament. Dustin Safranek-USA TODAY Sports

Big-name PGA, LIV Golf players kept separate in Round 1 groups at The Masters

By Chelena Goldman | Last updated 4/5/23

It's a topic that has been speculated on for months: Will PGA Tour and LIV Golf competitors be grouped together for the first and second rounds of the Masters?

Well, the groups and tee times for the 2023 Masters were finally announced. And while the 18 LIV Golf participants have certainly been mixed in with PGA and DP World Tour golfers, it isn't hard to see that there was still some strategy when it came to keeping the most polarizing figures from both sides of the aisle away from each other.

The Masters going non-spicy with LIV guys' groups:

Phil with Tom Hoge, Si Woo
DJ with Conners, Rose
Brooks with Willett, Woodland
Bryson with Molinari, Poston
Cam Smith with Hideki, Sungjae
Sergio with Mitchell, Higa
Niemann with Hatton, Harman
Gooch with Kokrak, Lyle
— Dylan Dethier (@dylan_dethier) April 4, 2023

Other than pairing Dustin Johnson with Valero Texas Open winner Corey Conners, it's clear that LIV Golf and PGA Tour players were placed together in the least dramatic way possible. No Phil Mickelson teamed up with Tiger Woods. No group including Patrick Reed with Rory McIlroy. No pairing of Cam Smith with Scottie Scheffler -- which, if you remember from last season, had some legit "Real Housewives" energy.

Speaking of Scheffler, the reigning Masters champion of course highlights one of the featured groups in Thursday's first round, alongside Presidents Cup winner Max Homa and U.S. Amateur champion Sam Bennett. None of the featured groups, well, "feature" any LIV golf players.

Featured Groups for The Masters. You absolutely love to see it. ⛳️ pic.twitter.com/55p5T2cPB7
— Alex Syse (@alexsyse) April 4, 2023

Although things have remained mostly civil leading up to the first round on Thursday -- McIlroy practicing with Brooks Koepka, for starters -- keeping competitors from the two circuits more separate is probably the smartest move. The debacle between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf -- especially with the ongoing antitrust lawsuit -- still looms large. So keeping competitors focused on the game and not chucking tees at each other is probably for the best.

The 2023 Masters tees off on Thursday.

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