AUGUSTA, Ga. — The Masters had eight main champions end among the many high 10 and ties, and the place they made a residing grew to become a mere footnote when Jon Rahm slipped into the inexperienced jacket.

For probably the most half, it was a Masters similar to another.

That features the ultimate hour. As a lot drama as Augusta Nationwide can create, this was the fourth straight yr the winner had at the very least a four-shot lead with 4 holes to play.

This wasn’t the primary main with PGA Tour and LIV Golf gamers. What precipitated a lot anticipation was the Masters being the primary main for the reason that two excursions started waging an costly battle in federal courtroom.

And so the Masters grew to become the primary take a look at how the 2 sides would get alongside (nice), and the way LIV Golf gamers would fare over 72 holes in opposition to a full subject (even higher).

Brooks Koepka led from the second gap Friday morning till the sixth gap Sunday afternoon till he suffered by means of an inglorious 22-hole stretch with out a birdie, and Rahm shot 69 to win by 4.

Koepka tied for second with Phil Mickelson, who amazed but once more with birdies on his final two holes for a 65. It matched his lowest rating at Augusta Nationwide, the opposite event in 1996 when Tiger Woods was nonetheless an newbie. Mickelson is ageless.

Patrick Reed tied for fourth, one in every of solely two gamers at par or higher all 4 rounds.

“We’re nonetheless the identical individuals,” Koepka stated. “I feel that’s simply manufactured by the media that we are able to’t compete anymore, that we’re washed up.”

Clearly not.

And now attentions shift to the PGA Championship 5 weeks away. The query just isn’t how they’ll carry out however who even will get an opportunity.

The PGA Championship lengthy has billed itself as having the strongest subject in golf, which it bases on the world rating. LIV Golf doesn’t get world rating factors for the time being — and the Official World Golf Rating board doesn’t appear to be in an enormous rush — and gamers will hold sliding into oblivion.

Koepka was No. 118 on this planet going into the Masters. Nobody purchased that. His runner-up end moved him to No. 39. Nobody is shopping for that, both.

9 gamers from LIV Golf are amongst these presently eligible for Oak Hill in Rochester, N.Y., by means of PGA Championship standards. Eight others are within the high 100, at the very least for now. Amongst these on the bubble are Cameron Tringale (90) and Jason Kokrak (93), who’re more likely to fall out by the point the PGA of America gives invites. Hardly anybody will discover their absence.

Kerry Haigh, the chief championships officer, stated the PGA of America would take a look at different excursions, cash lists and rankings, similar to all the time. And he stated “completely” the group would contemplate gamers from LIV Golf.

The PGA Championship is the ultimate week earlier than the U.S. Open exempts the highest 60 gamers and the British Open exempts the highest 50 from having to qualify. Reed did himself a world of fine at Augusta. He moved as much as No. 45 from No. 70.

The Masters, in the meantime, already launched its match {qualifications} for subsequent yr, and it consists of the highest 50 from the world rating (on the finish of the yr and per week earlier than the Masters). Augusta Nationwide has a seat on the OWGR desk.

Of the 18 gamers from LIV Golf on the Masters this yr, as many as eight are unlikely to be return subsequent yr, perhaps ever.

“I took my mother and father right here as a result of it may very well be my final one,” stated Thomas Pieters of Belgium, who determined to hitch LIV Golf in February. “That’s simply being practical. I don’t know. Time will inform. We’ll see.”

Pieters later instructed The Every day Telegraph: “Hopefully, this week was an eye-opener for everyone that that is good for golf. There have been three LIV gamers within the high 4 right here, however there are solely three LIV gamers on this planet’s high 35. How does that work? Look, you need to play in opposition to one of the best on this planet, however when the system’s rigged otherwise you don’t get one of the best, the product’s not going to be nearly as good.”

Aside from the world rating, the one path again to Augusta Nationwide for LIV gamers is to complete among the many high 4 within the different three majors.

For the opposite three majors, they must end within the high 10 (high 15 for the PGA Championship) to get again the following yr (apart from qualifying for the 2 Opens).

Reed’s five-year exemption to the opposite majors ran out this yr. Koepka’s exemption from the 2019 PGA Championship runs by means of subsequent yr.

It’s uncertain the Masters would contemplate invites for successful an LIV Golf occasion. It didn’t even embody LIV leads to the participant efficiency information, as an alternative sticking to outcomes from OWGR tournaments.

If world rating factors ever get awarded to LIV occasions, its 48 gamers can have fallen far sufficient that not one of the subject will likely be notably robust and development received’t be straightforward.

“Then they’ll need to catch up by taking part in effectively,” Jordan Spieth stated.

They knew what they have been signing up for by becoming a member of LIV, and so they knew how a lot cash they have been getting. It’s the price of doing enterprise.

“Each main desires to have one of the best subject potential, so that they provide you with a standards that they really feel will yield that,” Spieth stated. “If that’s not the case, then they’ll change it to yield that.”

Possibly. However maybe the best way ahead is for LIV golfers is to play their greatest when it issues. It labored for Koepka.