Scottie Scheffler’s Masters Champions dinner speech an indication of golfers wanting PGA-LIV merger, says 8-time Major champ
World No. 1 golfer Scottie Scheffler is currently attempting to defend his Masters title at Augusta National. As part of Masters tradition, Scheffler hosted the annual Champions Dinner and delivered a speech during the event. Following the dinner, legendary eight-time major winner Tom Watson commented that Scheffler’s words reflected a shared desire among players for a merger between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf.
Scheffler has been ranked No. 1 in the world for more than 100 weeks. He claimed Masters victories in both 2022 and 2024 and has secured 13 PGA Tour titles. His performances in major tournaments also include tied second-place finishes at the 2023 PGA Championship and the 2022 U.S. Open. Prior to the opening round of this year’s Masters, Scheffler shared a meal and conversations with several past champions, including Watson and Gary Player.
During a press conference at Augusta National, Tom Watson was asked to share his thoughts on the ongoing discussion about a potential PGA-LIV merger. Referring to Scheffler’s speech at the dinner, Watson said, “The one thing I do know is that Scottie Scheffler in his speech at the past champions dinner on Tuesday night said, ‘I’m glad we’re all together again.’ So the players would like to get together. But it’s really up to the powers that be to see if there’s a framework in which the two tours can cooperate.”
Although he supports the idea of players uniting, Watson expressed skepticism about whether a viable solution exists to bring the two tours together effectively. He pointed out that while merger discussions have been ongoing since June two years ago, there is still no finalized agreement or structure in place. Still, Watson agreed with Scheffler’s sentiment, stating it would be ideal for all players to compete alongside each other—just like they do during major tournaments.
Currently, only a limited number of events, such as the Masters, allow both LIV Golf and PGA Tour players to compete in the same field. Entry into the Masters requires players to meet certain criteria, such as being a past Masters or other major champion within the past five years, finishing in the top 12 (and ties) at last year’s Masters, or ranking within the top 50 in the Official World Golf Rankings.
Based on these qualifications, 12 LIV Golf players earned spots in this year’s Masters field. These players are:
Tyrrell Hatton
Bryson DeChambeau
Cameron Smith
Patrick Reed
Bubba Watson
Joaquin Niemann
Sergio Garcia
Charl Schwartzel
Dustin Johnson
Brooks Koepka
Phil Mickelson
Jon Rahm
These players are eligible due to their past achievements or current rankings, allowing them to compete at Augusta National alongside their PGA Tour counterparts.
