AUGUSTA, Georgia – If you were expecting a fun and exciting duo this week pitting a PGA Tour star against a LIV Golf star, forget it.
The Masters released the opening tripleheader on Thursday in a concerted effort to separate players from the Saudi-backed tournament.
None of Thursday's four squads featured at the start featured LIV players.
The first team consisted of Tiger Woods, Victor Hovland and Xander Scheufele.
Next came Justin Thomas, Jon Rahm and Cameron Young, then defending champion Scotty Scheffler, Max Homa, Sam Bennett and finally Jordan Spieth, Tommy Flewood and Tony Finau.
Three-time Masters winner Phil Mickelson is having fun in Siberia against the unknown Tom Hoge and Si Woo Kim.
Phil Mickelson had a strange combination in the first round at the Masters.
Former champion Patrick Reed played Adam Svensson and Sait Tigala, not big players.
look for Phil Mickelson has kept a low profile on the Masters.
"We've had a long friendship and relationship," Mickelson said of the two sides at the championship dinner. "I don't see it as a problem. I really don't. I think it will be a great night to celebrate Scotty's (Scheffler) win and welcome him to a special club that has a special honor. To be a part of that."
Sergio Garcia, who previously won the Augusta, will play Keith Mitchell and Kazuki Higa.
British Open Champion Cameron Smith teams up with 2021 champion Hideki Matsuyama and Songjae M
Bryson DeChambeau will play Francesco Molinari and JT Poston.
Brooks Koepka stars as Danny Willett and Gary Woodland. Dustin Johnson, one of the biggest stars on the LIV Tour, along with Corey Connors and Justin Rose.
Apparently, it was a mandate from the parent committee not to feature any LIV players.