Can a LIV Golf player win the 2024 Masters? Ask them - ESPN

MIAMI — LIV Golf League captains Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka were sitting on a stage at Trump National Doral on Wednesday when a moderator asked if a LIV Golf player could win a green jacket at the Masters.

«I don't know, obviously chances are pretty good,» Koepka said. «There's a lot of good players. I don't know how many guys are in the field. Usually about 90, right? Usually about 90 [it's 88 this year]. So, you know, probably got, what, 15%?»

Koepka turned to DeChambeau: «You're better at math and numbers.»

«Something like that — it's 15 to 20 [percent],» DeChambeau said.

Together, DeChambeau and Koepka dissected the numbers, eliminating amateurs, first-timers and golfers who might be nervous playing in the first major championship of the season in front of tens of thousands of patrons at Augusta National Golf Club, one of the most famous courses in the world.

«I can give that whole speech again, but I'll save everybody the five minutes,» Koepka said.

Koepka was referring to his news conference at the 2019 PGA Championship at Bethpage Black in Farmingdale, New York. Before a tee was even in the ground, Koepka suggested he had to worry about beating only a handful of golfers because he was better than half the field and many others would probably be too nervous to win.

The five-time major champion captured the second of his three Wanamaker Trophies five days later.

Heading into the Masters a year ago, there were similar questions about LIV Golf players. After leaving the PGA Tour, they were playing fewer tournaments — and only 54 holes when they did. The circuit that claimed to be «Golf But Louder» seemed a lot more relaxed with its unique team names, on-course music and shotgun starts.

That doubt was put to