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Augusta, Georgia: Former British Open winner Ian Baker-Finch has questioned whether host courses on LIV Golf are preparing players adequately for the rigours of major championship golf after half of the league\u2019s contingent missed the cut at a biting Augusta National.<\/p>\n
Five LIV golfers from 10 were sent home early from the April major, including Bryson DeChambeau and Australia\u2019s Cameron Smith. Two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson, Northern Irish golfer Tom McKibbin and Mexico\u2019s Carlos Ortiz also missed the weekend rounds.<\/p>\n
![\"LIV](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/d355f3b53dfcfe7bf585cf693a3d5aa73b913ed8905be12064861185df35f7b0.png\")
LIV golfers Cameron Smith, Bryson DeChambeau, Tom McKibbin, Carlos Ortiz and Bubba Watson were all sent home early.Getty Images<\/p>\n
Midway through the third round, England\u2019s Tyrrell Hatton was the best-placed LIV golfer at three under, eight shots off the lead.<\/p>\n
LIV Golf abandoned its 54-hole format this year and adopted a more traditional 72-hole identity. Its five pre-Masters tournaments included Saudi Arabia, Adelaide, Hong Kong, Singapore and South Africa. Four of those were won with a 72-hole total of at least 23 under par.<\/p>\n
In other words, the superstars battered those golf courses into submission. In contrast, Augusta National\u2019s rock-hard fairways and bouncing greens have played tough at the 90th Masters.<\/p>\n
Related Article Baker-Finch, the 1991 British Open champion, was asked at Augusta National on Saturday during the third round whether the five courses on LIV had properly tested the ten Masters hopefuls.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not sure in doing their schedule that they even think about that,\u201d Baker-Finch said.<\/p>\n \u201cLet me say that if they were playing more difficult courses that were more similar to here [Augusta], that would be a good decision.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I played the [PGA Tour\u2019s] Players Championship [at TPC Sawgrass] two or three weeks before the Masters every year\u2026 they used to get the greens hard and fast there to make it a little bit more like [Augusta].<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s up to the players to do that; not up to scheduling people. But \u2026 it would be more advantageous if you could play courses and go to an area where the courses are similar or the greens are 14 on the Stimpmetre [a green speed-measuring device].\u201d<\/p>\n LIV golfers have fielded questions about their buildup to Augusta National, including 2023 Masters champion Jon Rahm. The LIV golf captain was blunt when asked after the second round whether he had to make adjustments coming to the Masters.<\/p>\n \u201cNone; golf is golf,\u201d Rahm said.<\/p>\n Pressed how the league prepares its players for Augusta, Rahm said, \u201cSame as any other golf tournament in the world, yeah\u201d.<\/p>\n Related Article In his role as chair of the PGA of Australia, Baker-Finch deals with LIV golf, given plenty of its big names travel to play Australian summer of golf events such as the Australian PGA and Open.<\/p>\n The 65-year-old sees LIV being a long-term presence, although he doesn\u2019t see any reunification of the new league and the PGA Tour.<\/p>\n \u201cI see it being here long term, but I don\u2019t see a merger in any form,\u201d Baker-Finch said.<\/p>\n \u201cI think they\u2019ll do what they\u2019re doing and be what they are, which is fine.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t see the anxiety necessarily anymore. The PGA Tour is still a shining light. The DP World Tour [Europe] is kind of like the world tour and all the other tours [such as Australia] fit in.\u201d<\/p>\n News, results and expert analysis from the weekend of sport sent every Monday. Sign up for our Sport newsletter<\/a>.<\/p>\n Save<\/p>\n You have reached your maximum number of saved items.<\/p>\n![\"Cameron](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1775994958_858_5e2e0823689fec9dac40d53840577970174f7da9.jpeg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Jon](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/3924be732b08f552c2bad446d03c6f1131abd8f7.jpeg\")
Jon Rahm reacts on the 18th green during the second round of the 2026 Masters Tournament at Augusta National.Getty Images<\/p>\n![\"Rory](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/cc6ffea58136cd4025d8d88e564711016b0deb56.jpeg\")
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