The Augusta Masters begins: PGA-LIV reunion, the great candidates and the Argentine bishop

He Augustan Masters 2023 -which will start this Thursday at 9:00 (Argentina time), when the American Kevin Na and the Canadian Mike Weir off the tee of hole 1 – will have special seasoning. It will be the first major tournament that brings together the players of the PGA Tour he was born in LIV Golf Leaguethe Arab league that has “stolen” some of the main stars of the American professional circuit, after having seduced them with record prizes of 25 million dollars. But despite the fact that there have been some clashes between golfers on both sides in recent months and that tense situations have emerged for the weekend in recent days, it seems that the first Major of the year will be played regularly and the attraction main will be the fight for the coveted green jacket.

The LIV series, hosted by Saudi Arabia, kicked off last June with several big names on the PGA Tour including cameron smith, Phil Mickelson, Sergio García, Dustin Johnson, Bubba Watson, patrick reed AND charl schwartzel. The first was the champion of British Open 2022, the last major held and, shortly thereafter, “switched sides”. The other six are former Augsburg champions and will be present at the 87th edition of the tournament, which will see a total of 18 “defectors”.

It’s that although the PGA prohibited players from the LIV from playing at its events, the four Majors allowed those who met the classification criteria to compete.

“While we are disappointed with these developments, our aim is to honor the tradition of bringing together a pre-eminent field of golfers,” he explained. Fred Ridleypresident of Augusta National, announcing that the tournament would receive those players. “We are confident that golf, which has overcome many challenges over the years, will still endure.”

The first major “test” of whether PGA and LIV players could coexist was the traditional Champions dinnerwhich Tuesday was celebrated with a menu in honor of Scottie Schefflerwinner last year.

In the run up to that meeting, there was talk that maybe there had been some argument or confrontation and it could be an uncomfortable night. Golfers on both “sides” have dismissed this possibility. “Because Augusta National is such a special place and with the history of the game, I think we can put all our differences aside. Just because the guys have joined another tour doesn’t mean they’re no longer friends,” commented the current champion.

“I’ll feel good. I have no problems with anyone and I try not to create big problems,” said García, whose move to LIV cost him his friendship with Rory McIlroy. The Northern Irishman is one of the great opponents of the new competition; although in recent hours he has acknowledged that his aspect has favored PGA players, because he has imposed innovations and the “renewal of an obsolete system”.

In the end, the protagonists were right. The champions behaved like true gentlemen, everything was very cordial and correct and the goal was to celebrate Scheffler’s victory and share stories and memories of past editions.

“I’m sure everyone is wondering what the temperature is in the room, everything was calm and cool,” commented the Englishman. Nick Faldotitle winner in 1989, 1990 and 1996, in Chirping, together with the usual photo of the participants wearing the green jacket. And, referring to one of the dishes served, she quipped, “Only the tortilla soup was spicy.”

“We were 33 former champions sitting in a room trying to get along,” confessed the American. Fuzzy Zoellerchampion in 1979. “No one said a word about it on either tour.”

Tommy Aaron, another of the night’s veterans, who won the title in 1973, agreed: “Everyone was talking, but nobody mentioned LIV.” Although he quickly corrected himself: “I was surprised to see Mickelson so quiet. There was no one else who sat alone and didn’t exchange a few words with the others. I wished him luck for the week, but he just didn’t want to talk .”

Mickelson was, in fact, the most criticized by his former teammates, after signing a 200 million dollar contract with the Arab League. “Many of the people who compete in the Masters have been friends for decades and I can’t wait to see them again,” he said before dinner.

We will have to see what happens this Thursday, when the action begins on the Georgia field and the other players take action, in an environment that no longer requires so much formality or cordiality, more relaxed (always within the customs and traditions of a match traditionalist like this one).

The great candidates

Three names start from the top as the great candidates to be crowned in Augsburg. reigning champion SchefflerNorthern Irish McIlroy and the Spanish Jon Rahmnumber one, two and three in the world, respectively, coming in great moments and after an exceptional year.

Scheffler starts from top seed, but it is clear that Augusta’s path always hides new challenges and surprises. For this, although he is having a great season – he won the President Cup with the American team in September last year and won the Phoenix Open in February and The players mid-March-, not reliable.

“Being number 1 no longer gives me confidence, it’s mathematics. Saying I’m the best is not my style, I learn a lot from others, I study the game. I just try to keep learning, to improve. In the end, it’s an algorithm, but being number one is better than being number two,” he said.

Even Rahm, who won three tournaments this year (the Genesis Invitational, the Sentry Tournament of Champions and the American Express), hasn’t rested on his laurels. The 2021 US Open champion and a top 10 finisher in four of the of his six Masters appearances he reflected: “Form doesn’t matter, what you’ve done before this tournament doesn’t really matter. There have been many instances where players aren’t having their best year, but they come here and compete with confidence”.

McIlroy is looking for more than just the Augusta title. Winner of a tournament in South Carolina this season and third in Match Play in Austin a few weeks ago, he wants to become the sixth player in history to win the ‘Grand Slam’ in his career. sample of PGA Championship in 2012 and 2012, from US Open in 2011 and since British open in 2014, only the Masters remain elusive. His best result was second place last year.

“Nobody wants to win this tournament more than me,” he said in the preview of his 15th entry. “Last year I proved to myself that I could do it.”

Out of this trio, Mickelson himself cannot be excluded, who showed a much slimmer figure than before, and García, two great players, with a rich personal curriculum and with whom Scheffler, Rahm and McIlroy do not meet for months.

Another of the big attractions will be the presence of Tiger Woods, who has already captured the public’s attention during the rehearsal days. The winner of 15 Majors – five of them in Augusta – doesn’t appear among the big candidates, as he continues to struggle with mobility issues after the February 2021 car crash, which destroyed his right leg. But his mystique remains intact and he will surely be one of the most coveted by the public this weekend.

“I don’t know how many other Masters I have in me. So I try to enjoy the time I have here and treasure the memories,” he cautioned.

The Argentine flag bearer

Matteo Fernández de Oliveira this year in Augusta he will carry the biancoceleste flag. The 23-year-old from Buenos Aires will be one of seven non-professional golfers in the competition and will start his first participation in the Masters at 10:48 in our country, alongside the American Bubba Watson and the Irish Seamus power.

Born in San Isidro in January 2000, he represents the University of Arkansas and qualified for the first Major of the season when he was crowned in January at the Latin American Amateur Championship, which was held in Río Grande (Puerto Rico). That win also secured him a spot to play at this year’s US Open and British Open.

“My preparation was based a lot on anxiety about being here and about the week of the Masters coming up. From the day I won the LAAC, the tournament was in my head, obviously. So the whole plan was to make a first away trip in January, when I played 36 holes each of the two days, and then I gave myself time to come to February and March, in which I added another five days of play” said Sanisidrense.

“Everything will be linked to the desire to play well. I’ve put together a good plan, the idea is to follow it and take advantage of the opportunity. I think there’s little to lose and a lot to gain, so the mentality will be that: try to have fun and give the best of me,” he said.