“Sad and happy at the same time” – Fans react to Augusta National allowing LIV golfers for The Masters 2023

Augusta National announced on Wednesday that the LIV Golf professionals will not be banned from the 2023 Masters. The news received mixed reactions from fans. Some welcomed the decision, while others were of the opinion that it shouldn't have been allowed.

One user felt it was a good move as The Masters was for the best golfers of the world and not just PGA Tour professionals.

Another user had a doubt about LIV Golfers playing a 72-hole game after playing a 54-hole no-cut event throughout the year.

"Qaulity field for a quality event"

"23 years of lottery paid off"

The best summary:

"Leading by class, dignity and integrity"

A user questioned the above statement of "leading by class":

This is a brutal allegation.

Maybe he doesn't know what that word means.

"PGA does not own the Masters"

A user laid out his reasoning to support this decision.

"Excellent decision"

One user believed that it was LIV's problem that they were not complying with OWGR guidelines.

"That should never change"

"Right call"

Mike Wickett was amazed at the self praise by the Augusta National:

This was brutal:

A user felt it was an "unfortunate" decision by Augusta National.

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LIV Golf professionals to be allowed in The Masters 2023

Dustin Johnson, now with LIV Golf, with 2020 Masters title

LIV Golfers are banned from the PGA Tour, but Augusta National have announced that they won't be going the PGA Tour way to not allow LIV Golf professionals in the upcoming Masters.

Masters Chairman Fred Ridley announced in a released statement that LIV Golf's associated players can play in The Masters 2023, thus opening the gates for past champions like Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed, Phil Mickelson, and others to showcase themselves in The Masters, which will happen in April.

"Regrettably, recent actions have divided men’s professional golf by diminishing the virtues of the game and the meaningful legacies of those who built it. Although we are disappointed in these developments, our focus is to honor the tradition of bringing together a preeminent field of golfers this coming April," Masters Chairman Fred Ridely's official statment read.

"Therefore, as invitations are sent this week, we will invite those eligible under our current criteria to compete in the 2023 Masters Tournament. As we have said in the past, we look at every aspect of the Tournament each year, and any modifications or changes to invitation criteria for future Tournaments will be announced in April," Ridely added.

In July, R&A Chief Executive Martin Slumbers also took a similar stance, stating that it was not in their "agenda" to ban the LIV Golf players from the 2023 Open Championship. However, he had said that they would review the eligiibilty criteria for the entry just like every year.

"We have reached a seminal point in the history of our sport. At Augusta National, we have faith that golf, which has overcome many challenges through the years, will endure again," the letter concluded.

Players like Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau, and Cameron Smith will also be eligible on the basis of their last five-year records at the at Augusta National.