Southern manners try to keep LIV tensions beneath surface at Masters

N othing around Augusta National is exactly what it seems. You’ve maybe read, here and elsewhere, all the old stories about the place. Those bird noises you hear on the TV coverage? They say they’re dubbed in by the broadcaster. That azure water in the ponds? The groundskeepers are supposed to dye it just the right hue of blue. And all that immaculate grass? The whisper is they spray paint the bare patches. The club have always refused to confirm or deny any of it. Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain, just enjoy the azaleas and have another cup of iced tea.

This year, though, the atmosphere here feels even more unreal than usual. For this week, at least, someone seems to have called off the uncivil war that’s split the sport between the rival tours. Seems those famous southern manners are infectious.

Apparently, Sergio Garcia didn’t know anything about the news of the landmark ruling made by the arbitrators in favour of the DP World Tour’s decision to sanction the 12 players who joined LIV, even though it was all anyone was talking about on Tuesday, and directly affects him. “I haven’t heard,” Garcia said. “I haven’t been a part of it. I tried to stay away from all that.” Rory McIlroy didn’t have an opinion on it either, other than “if the arbitration panel think that’s the right decision, then I have to go by what they say”.

Tiger Woods, meanwhile, absolutely doesn’t have anything to do with the fact that his management company, Excel Sports, doesn’t have any clients on the LIV tour. “That’s about Excel and what they want to do,” he said. “No, I do not have any direct influence”, although, he added with that familiar grin, “I have my opinions.” And as for Phil Mickelson, well, he’s just delighted to be