What is the prize money?
Last year’s Masters purse totaled over £12 million, with winner Scottie Scheffler taking home a check for around £2.1 million.
That makes the Masters one of the most lucrative golf tournaments in the world, though the amounts on offer pale in comparison to LIV Golf’s exorbitant riches.
Last year’s No. 1 player in the LIV series – Dustin Johnson – took home over £28 million in prize money alone. According to reports, Johnson’s application fee to join LIV was well over £100 million.
Who qualified?
Technically speaking, players are invited to play in the Masters. Unlike the US Open or the Open Championship, there is no ‘open’ qualifying process as such.
All in all, there are 19 different ways to get an Augusta envelope through your letterbox. The easiest way is to be in the top 50 of the world rankings on January 1.
All previous Masters champions will be able to play, if they choose to accept the invitation, as well as those players who finished in the top 12 of last year’s overtime.
Any player who won a major or fully sanctioned PGA Tour event the previous season will also book their seat for Augusta. One player who has done just that is Justin Rose, thanks to his win at Pebble Beach in February. Another is Chris Kirk after winning the Honda Classic at PGA National.
The same goes for any player who has a top four finish in any of the previous season’s majors.
Any player in the top 50 in the world the week before the Masters who did not qualify by other means will also be exempted.
The rest of the field is made up of the winners of the amateur game’s premier events. The Masters is a smaller field than the other three majors, usually with about 90 players.
Can LIV golfers play in the Masters?
Yes they can, after Augusta National decided not to issue a ban. The 16 eligible LIV Rebels received their Masters invitations in the mail in December.
They include Open champion Cam Smith, three-time Masters winner Phil Mickelson, as well as Dustin Johnson and Bryson DeChambeau.
2017 champion and LIV golfer Sergio Garcia still plans to attend the traditional championship dinner on Wednesday night and said he wouldn’t be uncomfortable doing so.
“I don’t know,” he said. “You’ll have to ask who’s going to feel uncomfortable. I’m going to feel good. I don’t have any problems with anyone, and I try not to make a problem of it.
“I’m going to be there because I deserve it, because I deserve it, and I’m going to enjoy it. I hope the rest of the guys do the same.”
How do I get Masters tickets?
Those who want a golden ticket to see the Masters will have to request a ticket through the official channels for the following year.
You can request practice day tickets, tournament tickets or both. Applicants are then entered in a ballot and they will find out if they are successful in July.
Day tickets for tournaments cost around £112 plus any postage or handling charges. Food and drink during the course is subsidized and surprisingly well priced with a great imported beer costing less than £5.