The twelve LIV Golf participants in the 2025 Masters lineup mark the lowest number so far for the rival circuit, decreasing from eighteen in 2023 and thirteen in the previous year.
LIV golfers have four avenues to secure their invitations to Augusta National: they can be former Masters champions, winners of any major tournament in the last five years, ranked inside the top 50 in the Official World Golf Ranking, or receive a special invitation.
This year’s lineup includes twelve participants, of which seven are former Masters champions, alongside several others who might play a crucial role this week.
An analysis of each of the 12 LIV golfers participating, including how they secured invites to Augusta National this year along with their chances of making a significant impact by the final round.
JOHN RAHM
Path to Augusta: 2023 Masters Winner
LIV Golf Season Ranking: 3rd
At DraftKings, the odds for Masters are +1300. Among LIV players, Rahm stands out as he has achieved top-10 placements in all five of this season’s initial tournaments. This streak encompasses his tied-for-ninth finish in Miami just last week.
The Spanish player still joins the competition with numerous doubts surrounding the current level of his performance against top competitors. At the Dubai Desert Classic, which was his sole non-LIV event this year, Rahm failed to make the cut. Additionally, he struggled to finish 45th at last year’s Masters and also did not qualify for subsequent rounds at the PGA Championship.
BRYSON DECHAMBEAU
Path to Augusta: 2024 U.S. Open Winner
LIV Golf Season Ranking: 15th Position
Bryson was tied for sixth place at Augusta National Golf Club the previous year before clinching victory at the U.S. Open. His combination of power off the tee and precision around the green makes him a formidable contender at all major tournaments.
This year, DeChambeau has achieved three top-10 finishes in LIV events and was vying for victory until his final round of 75 at Doral ended his chances. Additionally, he secured second place at the International Series India earlier in the season.
BROOKS KOEPKA
Path to Augusta: 2023 PGA Champion
LIV Golf Season Ranking: 10th
Master’s Perspective (+3000): Two years ago, Koepka led after 54 holes but ended up sharing second place behind Rahm. In contrast, he struggled during last year’s major tournaments, achieving his highest placements of a tie for 26th at both the PGA Championship and the U.S. Open.
This week, as Koepka made his way to Augusta, there was talk about the possibility of him potentially seeking a comeback with the PGA Tour after his LIV contract ends. Despite currently ranking 249th, Koepka, another ex-world number one, has consistently performed well during majors.
JOAQUIN NIEMANN
Path to Augusta: Exclusive Invitation
LIV Golf Season Ranking: 1st Position
Master’s Outlook (+3500): Niemann earned a special invitation for another year in a row, which was well-deserved. Besides his two wins across five LIV tournaments, Niemann also claimed victory at the PIF Saudi International in December, following up with three successive top-10 finishes globally to end 2024 strong.
TYRRELL HATTON
Path to Augusta: Ranked 18th in OWGR
LIV Golf Season Ranking: 26th
The English Player’s Perspective (+5000 Odds): This golfer stands out as the sole participant from the LIV tour who qualified for the Masters exclusively due to his Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) position. At age 33, his highest achievement at Augusta National was tying for ninth place last year; however, he boasts just one top-five result across all majors throughout his career, which occurred during the 2016 Open Championship.
Hatton has kept his strong position in the Official World Golf Ranking by securing victory in this year’s Dubai Desert Classic and last year’s Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, as well as coming in second place at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship. However, his performance in LIV tournaments this year has been rather unremarkable, with his highest finish being a tie for sixth place in the first event of the season.
CAM SMITH
Path to Augusta: 2022 PGA Champ
LIV Golf Season Ranking (+6000): 29th
Master’s Prospects: The Australian player almost secured a green jacket after finishing in a tie for second place in 2020. Having once been ranked number one globally, Smith came into the tournament this week significantly lower in rankings.
He’s sitting at 29th in the LIV rankings, placing him within the realm of potential trades or releases should he not be the captain of the Roppers GC. His recent performance includes a tie for ninth place in Miami, marking his sole top-19 finish this season.
SERGIO GARCIA
Path to Augusta: 2017 Masters Winner
LIV Golf Season Ranking: 2nd
Master’s Prospects (+6000): Garcia is experiencing a revival at age 45, aiming to secure a spot for the European Ryder Cup team. Although he failed to make the cut at the 2024 Masters, he has performed impressively on the LIV tour in early 2025, adding a victory in Hong Kong followed by a runner-up finish in Miami.
PATRICK REED
Path to Augusta: 2018 Masters Winner
LIV Golf Season Ranking: 21st
Master’s Perspective (+9000): Reed has consistently performed at an international level, participating in four tournaments beyond LIV this season. This includes securing first place alone in Macau on the Asian Tour and achieving two top-10 finishes on the DP World Tour.
Could his translation of skills lead to greater triumph at Augusta? Last year, Reed finished in a tie for 12th place at the Masters, and he recently achieved a tie for seventh position in Miami.
PHIL MICKELSON
Path to Augusta: Won in 2004, 2006, and 2010
LIV Golf Season Ranking: 12th Position
Masters Prospect (+10000): Despite dropping below the top 1,000 globally, one should never underestimate Phil “Lefty” Mickelson at Augusta National. He managed just a T43 finish last year in his lone major cut—a performance that was part of an inconsistent period—but he has shown promising form for LIV Golf so far in 2025. Notably, he secured a solo third place in Hong Kong and hasn’t placed lower than T23 across his first four tournaments this season as a 54-year-old competitor.
DUSTIN JOHNSON
Path to Augusta: 2020 Masters Winner
LIV Golf Season Ranking: 28th
The Masters View (+13000) indicates that DJ serves as an example for those arguing many previous champions seem less driven after receiving substantial wealth from the Saudis. Johnson, who has often stated he does not see himself competing in professional golf indefinitely, secured only one top-25 finish in LIV events this season. In his most recent major tournaments, he missed the cut three times out of his last five appearances, with his highest ranking being a tie for 31st place at The Open Championship last year.
CHARL SCHWARTZEL
Path to Augusta: 2011 Masters Winner
LIV Golf Season Ranking: 14th
The Masters Outlook (+25000): This 40-year-old golfer from South Africa secured his sole Masters win at Augusta 14 years back. Apart from finishing alone in second place during the event in Miami recently, there isn’t much evidence indicating he will play a significant role in this edition of the Masters. In fact, Schwartzel participated in just one non-LIV tournament earlier this year—a tie for 46th position in South Africa—and failed to make the cut at Augusta last year.
BUBBA WATSON
Path to Augusta: Won in 2012 and 2014
LIV Golf Season Ranking: 36th
At age 46 and over ten years past his latest Masters triumph, Watson has suggested he might gradually reduce his participation in professional tournaments soon and concentrate on being the captain of the RangeGoats GC team instead. Following an encouraging tie for twelfth place at the start of the LIV tour, Watson hasn’t managed another top-twentieth finish across the subsequent four competitions. Additionally, he failed to qualify for the Augusta tournament last year and seldom competes beyond LIV events nowadays.
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