Tom Watson tees off on Thursday as a Masters honorary starter.
DAVID PAUL MORRIS, COURTESY AUGUSTA NATIONAL
Tom Watson was highly critical of the PGA Tour’s decision to welcome Brooks Koepka back from LIV Golf earlier this year during the annual news conference following the Masters’ honorary starters ceremony last Thursday.
Asked his thoughts on Koepka’s return and Patrick Reed seeking similar reinstatement, the eight-time major winner didn’t hold back.
“The tour made a decision to renege on what they promised when the players left for LIV,” Watson said after hitting the ceremonial opening tee shots with Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player. “They felt that the compensation that he’s paid is good enough.
“I thought the LIV players, when they left, they were supposed to be banned for life. If I was commissioner, that’s what I would do. I’d say if you’re finished with your contract with LIV Golf, if you want to play the PGA Tour again, you come back, and you must play the Korn Ferry Tour for a year to qualify for it.”
Watson, 76, explained that his stance is grounded in a regard for tournament sponsors.
“When the players left, they violated the number one rule that we really had out here, which is to protect the sponsors,” he said. “Sponsors need players. They need the names to be able to promote their tournaments. If the players play wherever they want to play without a conflicting-event rule … the sponsors would be hurt by that. I think we all understood that.
“When the players left for LIV, I think it was basically over. They chose to go for the money, which is fine, but to return to the tour, I thought, was a nonstarter, but apparently it’s not.” READ MORE
“I hope to be able to do it as long as I can not kill anybody.”
Jack Nicklaus, 86, on participating in the Masters honorary starters ceremony after hooking his tee shot over the heads of spectators.
LOGAN WHITTON, COURTESY AUGUSTA NATIONAL
While Watson skewered the tour, Nicklaus and Player voiced sympathy for Tiger Woods, who was missing from the Masters and was believed to be in Switzerland seeking treatment following his March 27 arrest for DUI in connection with an auto accident near his Florida home.
“Do I blame him for taking medicine? Hell, no,” said Player, 90. “He has sleep deprivation. Do I blame him for taking something to help him sleep? No. But I don’t think he should drive a car. When you’re taking that medicine, it’s dangerous when you’re driving a car, same as it’s dangerous when you look at your cell phone in the car. …
“But my heart goes out for him. There’s nothing worse than living in pain every day of your life. You can’t think of anything worse. I just hope he can get it all sorted out because he’s such an asset to golf and has done so much for the game.”
Asked if he had a message for Woods, Nicklaus said: “Just whatever you need to help you and get back, because I think golf needs him, and we’d love to have him back.” READ MORE
Tap-Ins
The Masters increased its purse by $1.5 million to $22.5 million this year, Augusta National announced Saturday. Rory McIlroy took home $4.5 million for winning, $300,000 more than he earned for his triumph last year. READ MORE
Defending champion Justin Thomas, 2024 winner Scottie Scheffler and world No. 4 Tommy Fleetwood highlight the field for this week’s RBC Heritage at Harbour Town. READ MORE
Scheffler, who withdrew for family reasons from the Texas Children’s Houston Open last month in what was to be his last scheduled start before the Masters, told the Associated Press that his wife, Meredith, gave birth to the couple’s second child, a son named Remy, on March 27. READ MORE
Compiled by Mike Cullity
