LIV Golf representation at The Masters continues to diminish, with just 10 players from the circuit teeing it up in 2026, down two from a year ago.
Despite the number at Augusta National being the lowest since the league's inception in 2022, it began with several fancied to do well and at least two of the 10 among the picks of many fans to win.
Bryson DeChambeau went into the tournament off the back of two consecutive LIV Golf wins, while Jon Rahm has a title and three runner-up finishes to his name so far this season.
Neither of them was able to translate that form to the Major in the opening round, though, with DeChambeau suffering an erratic start that included some poor iron play. As a result, he headed back to the clubhouse a frustrated figure at four over.
Rahm, who won the Green Jacket three years ago, also found his best form desert him with a six-over 78, which included a double bogey at the par-5 13th.
With the two big guns failing to live up to expectations, it was 2017 champion Sergio Garcia who led the way for the LIV Golfers, finishing the day in T17 on even par, five back of co-leaders Rory McIlroy and Sam Burns.
Just one behind him is another former Masters winner, 2020 champion Dustin Johnson.
Rahm's Legion XIII teammate Tyrrell Hatton is on two over, as is Ripper GC captain Cameron Smith.
Tom McKibbin qualified for The Masters via one of its new open pathways, having cruised to a seven-shot victory at the Hong Kong Open to win his second professional title.
However, the first round of his maiden Masters experience was a struggle, leaving him on three over, a score shared by 2011 Masters champion Charl Schwartzel.
Further down the leaderboard, two-time winner Bubba Watson ended the day level with DeChambeau on four over.
The most disappointing round of the 10 LIV Golfers came from Torque GC's Carlos Ortiz, who is making his second Masters start, having qualified via his US Open finish.
He seems likely to make it no further than the second round after carding an eight over 80.
The largely disappointing opening round for players representing the league will do little to quell suggestions that LIV Golf has a Masters problem, with limited pathways and a lack of recent US-based action among the potential issues.
The good news is that, for the majority of its players, one good round on Friday should still be enough to see them beyond the halfway stage.
Here's how the LIV Golf leaderboard looks after the opening round of The Masters.
LIV Golf Leaderboard At The 2026 Masters
- T17 E Sergio Garcia
- T33 +1 Dustin Johnson
- T40 +2 Cameron Smith
- T40 +2 Tyrrell Hatton
- T48 +3 Charl Schwartzel
- T48 +3 Tom McKibbin
- T56 +4 Bubba Watson
- T56 +4 Bryson DeChambeau
- T73 +6 Jon Rahm
- T82 +8 Carlos Ortiz
