Bubba Watson played down any notion of awkwardness between PGA Tour players and the 18 LIV golfers who will tee it up at the Masters, saying he has already asked Australia’s Jason Day and Cam Young to play the famous Par 3 Contest with him.
Watson, the Augusta National winner in 2012 and 2014, joined LIV golf last year. On Wednesday at the league’s Orlando tournament, Watson was asked if there would be any us-against-them mentality.
He said there wouldn’t be any more satisfaction from beating a group of PGA Tour players at Augusta, rather that it would just be an achievement in itself to win another green jacket.
“I‘m trying to beat them all [the whole field]. Just saying,” he said.
“I‘ve talked to people that are going to be there. I’m going to sign up with Jason Day and Cam Young in the par-3. Some guys have already asked me to play some practice rounds.
“I have nothing against anybody. If you change jobs, I’m not mad at you. If you start reporting for somebody else, hey, man, it’s a better decision for you and your family.”
Brooks Koepka, a four-time major champion of two US Opens and two PGA Championships, agreed.
“If you win a major, that’s a pretty damn good statement,” he said. “Look, anytime you win the Masters, it‘s going to be a big boost off the golf course for you. I don’t care who you are.”
Patrick Reed, the 2018 Masters winner, said he would be cheering on his fellow LIV golfers but that it wouldn’t be any different from any other major championship.
“The storylines are going to be obviously LIV versus PGA Tour and all that kind of stuff, but really at the majors, that’s all the guys that come in, top players in the world are going and playing against each other no matter where they come from,” Reed said in Orlando.
“It doesn’t matter what tour they’re on or anything; it’s the top guys going and trying to play for one of the most coveted events in the world.
“For us, at least for myself, it‘s going to be business as usual going out and playing.
“Would I like to have LIV be up at the top? Of course, but really at the end of the day, it’s all of us going in there and just trying to play the best golf we can.”
