How did LIV Golfers perform in Round 1 of the Masters at the Augusta National?
95 players teed off in the first round of the 2025 Masters tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on Thursday, April 10. Among them, 12 were LIV Golfers. Seven of the 12 LIV Golfers are past Masters champions, including Phil Mickelson, Jon Rahm, Bubba Watson, Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed, and Charl Schwartzel.
In the first round, Bryson DeChambeau and Tyrrell Hatton were the top performers among LIV Golfers. Both of them posted a score of 3-under 69 and are tied for fifth. While Hatton scored four birdies against a bogey in the round, DeChambeau notched seven birdies against four bogeys.
Australia's Cameron Smith also had a decent round of 1-under 71, where he carded two birdies against a bogey. Reed and Watson also carded the same score as Smith in the first 18 holes. All three of them are tied for 11th.
Joaquin Niemann, who has won two LIV Golf events in the 2025 season —Adelaide and Singapore—had an even par round, where he scored three birdies against three bogeys. Sergio Garcia, who won the LIV Golf Hong Kong a month back, also posted an even par 72 on the first day. Niemann and Garcia are tied for 27th place on the leaderboard.
Let's take a look at LIV Golfers' scores after the first round of the Masters 2025:
- T3 Bryson DeChambeau: 69 (-3)
- T3 Tyrrell Hatton: 69 (-3)
- T11 Patrick Reed: 71 (-1)
- T11 Cameron Smith: 71 (-1)
- T11 Bubba Watson: 71 (-1)
- T27 Joaquin Niemann: 72 (E)
- T27 Sergio Garcia: 72 (E)
- T51 Brooks Koepka: 74 (+2)
- T51 Charl Schwartzel: 74 (+2)
- T51 Dustin Johnson: 74 (+2)
- T63 Phil Mickelson: 75 (+3)
- T63 Jon Rahm: 75 (+3)
Which LIV Golfers struggled in the first round of the Masters 2025?
Five LIV Golfers struggled in the first round and will need strong performances in the second round to make it to the weekend. Brooks Koepka, Charl Schwartzel, and Dustin Johnson had an underwhelming start to their Masters campaign. All three of them posted a score of 2-over 74 in the first round and are tied for 51st.
Meanwhile, three-time Masters Champion Phil Mickelson had a dull round. He faltered with three bogeys on the front nine. He finished with two birdies against two bogeys on the back nine to finish 3-over 75.
2023 Masters Champion Jon Rahm also posted 3-over 75 in the first 18 holes at Augusta National. He scored five bogeys against two birdies in the round. Both Rahm and Mickelson are tied for 63rd place.
The top 50 players and ties will make it to the weekend at the Augusta National. Currently, the projected cutline is +3 for the 2025 Masters tournament. Let's take a look at the cutline in the past 15 years at the major championship:
- 2024: +6
- 2023: +3
- 2022: +4
- 2021: +3
- 2020: Even par (E)
- 2019: +3
- 2018: +5
- 2017: +6
- 2016: +6
- 2015: +2
- 2014: +4
- 2013: +4
- 2012: +5
- 2011: +1
- 2010: +3