Augusta National Golf Club confirms LIV golfers can take part in 2023 Masters amid controversy

Augusta National Golf Club have confirmed that any competitor who has qualified for the Masters tournament on the previous criteria can play in 2023.

That means that even the 16 players on the LIV Golf League who would have qualified are able to compete next year.

That list includes six former Masters champions: Bubba Watson, Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Sergio Garcia, Patrick Reed and Charl Schwartzel. Each of them play for the Saudi-establish LIV franchise.

Augusta National Golf Club chairman Fred Ridley said in a statement: “Regrettably, recent actions have divided men’s professional golf by diminishing the virtues of the game and the meaningful legacies of those who built it.

“Although we are disappointed in these developments, our focus is to honor the tradition of bringing together a preeminent field of golfers this coming April.

“Therefore, as invitations are sent this week, we will invite those eligible under our current criteria to compete in the 2023 Masters tournament.

“As we have said in the past, we look at every aspect of the tournament each year, and any modifications or changes to invitation criteria for future tournaments will be announced in April. We have reached a seminal point in the history of our sport. At Augusta National, we have faith that golf, which has overcome many challenges through the years, will endure again.”

The Masters is scheduled for April 6-9 in Georgia, USA.

The 16 from the LIV tour might be joined by 2022 champion Cameron Smith, along with long-time rivals Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka, as well as Joaquin Niemann and Talor Gooch, though the latter pair have since departed for LIV.

Abraham Ancer, Harold Varner III, Jason Kokrak, Kevin Na and Louis Oosthuizen are also invited. Those players in the top 50 the week before the event starts will also earn an invitation.

LIV Golf has caused controversy after offering huge sums of money, including a guaranteed $200 million for some players to jump ship from the PGA.