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AUGUSTA, Ga. — As the PGA Tour and LIV Golf move forward with no signs of a truce forming anytime soon, Augusta National Golf Club and the Masters remain at the center of that divide, with important influence on the future of both circuits.
PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp visited Augusta National in February, club chairman Fred Ridley said Wednesday at his annual pre-Masters press conference.
“We talked a lot about collaboration,” Ridley said. “And I thought it was a very positive conversation.”
Rolapp’s top priority is changing the PGA Tour’s schedule—a shift that could create a first and second tier of tournaments, with promotion and relegation between those tracks.
“We’ll just have to wait and see what his plans are, how they unfold, and what that means for the schedule and for who’s playing in what tournament and how those tournaments sort of stack up in importance,” Ridley said. “Then we’ll react accordingly.”
The PGA Tour does not have an equity stake in the Masters, the other three major championships, or the Ryder Cup. Last month at the Players Championship, Rolapp said, “It would be a benefit for the entire golfing ecosystem to work closer together commercially.”
Ridley responded Wednesday to that notion. “It’s important to note that there are a number of golf organizations, including ours, that make the journey to the PGA Tour possible,” he said.
LIV Golf Spotlight
LIV Golf has 10 players in the Masters field this week, which is down from 12 in 2025, and once again, the league’s smallest contingent at Augusta since launching in 2022.
Recently departed LIV players Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed are competing at Augusta. LIV star Phil Mickelson is not playing due to a personal family health matter.
LIV events for the first time this year are receiving Official World Golf Ranking points, which are crucial for helping players across the globe qualify for the majors. Augusta National has a seat on the OWGR board.
“The purpose of the system is to make sure the best players in the world have an opportunity to play in the best tournaments,” Ridley said.
Despite being green-lit for some OWGR points, LIV wasn’t pleased with limitations around awarding points to just the top 10 at each tournament, calling the move “unprecedented” in a January statement.
“Several of the issues that were raised have been addressed, which resulted in LIV receiving limited points,” Ridley said Wednesday. “They know what those issues are. … Hopefully, there will be efforts made to address those issues and allow them to receive more ranking points.”
LIV CEO Scott O’Neil and Rolapp are both at Augusta National this week, as are other leaders of top golf organizations.
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