‘Complete BS’: Golf’s worst nightmare coming true as LIV myth exposed at The Masters

A scintillating start has The Masters tantalisingly poised as a LIV star is on the cusp turning golf’s worst nightmare into a reality.

Could golf’s worst nightmare be about to come true?

American Brooks Koepka leads The Masters after he continued his red-hot start to the first major of the year to be 12-under par after his second round.

Play was suspended on Friday afternoon local time as heavy winds wreaked havoc at Augusta, causing three trees to uproot and fall over near the 17th tee. Thankfully no one was hurt.

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Koepka was already in the clubhouse by then and he holds a three-shot lead over Spain’s Jon Rahm, ahead of US amateur Sam Bennett.

Rahm has been in scintillating form early this year, winning three tournaments to edge close to the World No. 1 ranking.

He still has nine holes to play in his second round and looms as the biggest threat to Koepka’s quest to claim first green jacket and fifth major overall.

Brooks Koepka leads the Masters. Photo: Patrick Smith/Getty Images/AFP.

The Masters is the first major where players from the PGA and the Saudi-backed rebel LIV Tour are playing against each other, as the ongoing battle between the two tours continues.

LIV events, run by Greg Norman, are widely seen as exhibition gimmicks that won’t prepare players for the rigours of a 72-hole major championship.

Most of the players who have defected to LIV are past their prime or seen as non-contenders — including Phil Mickelson, Bubba Watson, Ian Poulter, Bryson DeChambeau and Sergio Garcia.

The majority of pundits didn’t believe this year’s Masters winner would come from one of the 18 LIV players competing at Augusta, but they might be proven wrong.

But Koepka is flying the flag for LIV, while Aussie Cameron Smith (2-under) and 2020 Masters champion Dustin Johnson (1-under) are hanging in there.

The PGA’s official Twitter account posted a graphic of Koepka’s sensational 5-under second round of 67, and golf fans had a field day imagining it being uploaded through gritted teeth.

Brooks Koepka finishes his second round with a 3-shot lead at #theMasterspic.twitter.com/Dr7bkxJI6g

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) April 7, 2023

Brooks Koepka three clear #themasterspic.twitter.com/VY1s7sNHKk

— Golf Monthly (@GolfMonthly) April 7, 2023

The organisers of the four majors — The Masters, US Open, PGA Championship and The Open — are meeting this week at Augusta to discuss whether LIV players will be awarded world ranking points.

LIV players who have won a major have been granted a five-year grace period that will allow them to compete in all four majors.

Generally the top 50 players in the world qualify to player the majors.

But if LIV players can’t earn rankings points, there could come a time in few years where Smith, currently World No. 5, can’t play majors if he falls outside the top 50.

Brooks Koepka winning the Masters would be a nightmare for the PGA. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Koepka’s blistering showing has proved the argument that LIV players wouldn’t be able to contend at major championships is just a myth.

The sight of Koepka in the green jacket would give LIV invaluable legitimacy and crucially, heap pressure on the majors to lobby for players at LIV tournaments to be awarded world ranking points.

Because if they’re still capable of winning majors, there’s no way they should be banned.

Through 36 holes at ANGC

Brooks Koepka -12
Rory McIlroy +5

*insert any snide comment you like, but the narrative that LIV golfers would lose all their competitiveness was complete BS. It’s golf - anything can & does happen. #themasters

— Luke Elvy (@Luke_Elvy) April 7, 2023

Doesn’t matter which side your on in the PGA Tour and LIV golf debate but one thing is for certain….. Brooks Koepka in NOT 118 in the world. So there’s that.. #themasters

— Greg Kraft (@greg_kraft) April 7, 2023

Adding more intrigue, Rory McIlroy, the pro-PGA spokesman who isn’t afraid to criticise LIV and Norman, had a disastrous first two rounds and will miss the cut.

Meanwhile, Australia’s Jason Day followed up his excellent opening round with an even par second round to be tied for sixth at 6-under, while 2013 champion Adam Scott is still in the mix at 4-under after he also shot an even par round.

Smith was eight holes through his second round before play was suspended, and still has a faint hope of victory after he pulled off an outrageous fairway bunker shot to shoot an eagle on the eighth to move to 2-under.

McIlroy (+5) and Tiger Woods (+2) were at risk of missing the cut for the remaining rounds.

Masters leaderboard

Brooks Koepka -12

Jon Rahm -9

Sam Bennett -8

Viktor Hovland -6

Collin Morikawa -6

Cameron Young -5

Sam Burns -5

Jordan Spieth -5

Australians

Jason Day -5

Adam Scott -4

Cam Smith -2

Harrison Crowe +5

Min Woo Lee +6