Masters at Center of PGA-LIV Rift

Afternoon Edition

April 8, 2026

Augusta National remains a key power broker as the PGA Tour and LIV Golf show little progress toward a truce. With leaders from both sides on-site this week, the Masters continues to shape the sport’s future.

—David Rumsey

First Up

FIFA partnered with an obscure Abu Dhabi–backed blockchain firm for its World Cup prediction market, raising questions among industry experts. Read the story.
First at FOS: Sue Bird is expected to join NBC and Peacock’s WNBA coverage as an analyst, adding a Hall of Famer to the network’s return to the W. Read the story.
UCLA’s blowout win over South Carolina drew 9.9 million viewers on ABC, the third-most for a women’s title game since 1989. Read the story.
The Mavs said there was “no error” in Austin Reaves’s MRI, pushing back on Lakers coach JJ Redick’s claim the wrong area was scanned. Read the story.

Masters Remains Power Broker As PGA Tour, LIV Golf Divide Lingers

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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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ONE BIG FIG

Buccos Shell Out Big Bucks

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$140 million

That’s the value of the nine-year contract for rookie Pirates shortstop Konnor Griffin, setting a record for the most lucrative contract in franchise history and the richest ever for a first-year MLB player. Griffin, however, was the league’s top-rated prospect entering the 2026 season and a leading part of a robust rookie class across the sport.

With the pact, the Pirates are veering somewhat from their historically frugal ways, while also trying to build a winner along with star pitcher Paul Skenes. With an average annual value of $15.6 million, Griffin also gets a massive raise from the 2026 MLB minimum salary of $780,000. The deal, running through the 2034 season, also buys out Griffin’s salary arbitration eligibility and the start of his free agency. Read the story.

LOUD AND CLEAR

Down Under, Way Over

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“That was our goal, to go 19 hours away to play a game.”

—49ers coach Kyle Shanahan, with a pointed, clearly sarcastic jab at the team’s upcoming Sept. 10 trip to Australia for the NFL’s Melbourne opener.

The 49ers will face the Rams in a game already drawing massive demand, with ticketing systems overwhelmed and most seats at the 100,000-capacity Melbourne Cricket Ground snapped up within minutes. Prices have also climbed quickly, sparking backlash among local fans. While the NFL views Australia as a major opportunity in its global push, the logistics are raising concerns inside team buildings about travel strain. Read the story.

STATUS REPORT

One Up, One Down, Two Push

Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Sophie Cunningham ⬆ The Indiana Fever guard will join USA Network as a contributor for the upcoming WNBA season, where she will provide game analysis and appear in special segments and content on USA Sports’s studio show and social media platforms. Cunningham, who previously served as an analyst on Phoenix Suns broadcasts and cohosts the Show Me Something podcast, will perform her role as her WNBA playing schedule allows.

James Pearce Jr. ⬇ The Falcons edge rusher was not with the team at the start of its offseason workout program, according to coach Kevin Stefanski. Pearce is currently facing four criminal charges and three felonies after allegedly crashing his vehicle into the car of his ex-girlfriend, WNBA player Rickea Jackson. He has a trial scheduled for May 4. Stefanski said Atlanta is in “constant communication” with Pearce’s representation.

Geno Auriemma ⬆⬇ The UConn women’s basketball coach released a statement Tuesday apologizing to South Carolina coach Dawn Staley for their fiery interaction at the end of Sunday’s title game. Auriemma said in the statement: “I lost myself.” Staley said in a statement earlier Tuesday that they spoke and it’s “time to move forward.”

Michael Reinsdorf ⬆⬇ The president and CEO of the Bulls held a press conference Tuesday, a day after he fired EVP of basketball operations Artūras Karnišovas and GM Marc Eversley, taking blame for the team’s recent struggles. The son of team owner Jerry Reinsdorf also said Chicago’s next head of basketball operations must be willing to move forward with Billy Donovan as head coach.