It won’t be too long until we turn our attention to the first men’s major of the year at Augusta National.
The battle for the 90th green jacket will begin on 9 April.
Reigning world number one, four-time major champion and the heir apparent to Tiger Woods, Scottie Scheffler, is the overwhelming favorite to clinch his third Masters win.
Scheffler, 29, grabbed two of the four majors in 2025 (PGA Championship, The Open) and is expected to be the next golfer to make a serious tilt at completing the career grand slam.
The American’s biggest challenge is expected to come from the reigning champion, Rory McIlroy, who finally got over the line at Augusta last April with a play-off victory over England’s Justin Rose on what was most of the most absorbing Masters Sundays in recent memory.
Elsewhere, the likes of Tommy Fleetwood, Xander Schauffele, Collin Morikawa, Ludvig Aberg, Justin Thomas and Cameron Young are expected to mount challenges.
There is also a contingent of LIV Golf players who will believe they have what it takes to become a Masters champion.
At the time of publication, there are a total of 11 LIV Golf players in the 86-man field.
That could change. The 2026 Masters field is finalized the week before the major.
Let’s take a look at the LIV Golf players already in the 2026 Masters field and how they qualified.
LIV Golf players in 2026 Masters field
Bryson DeChambeau
DeChambeau qualified via four routes.
The American grabbed a five-year exemption into The Masters owing to his 2024 U.S. Open victory at Pinehurst No.2.
DeChambeau was also among the top 12 players, including ties, at the 2025 Masters.
He also placed in the first four players, including ties, at the 2025 PGA Championship.
DeChameau is also ranked inside the top 50 of the Official World Golf Ranking.
Sergio Garcia
Garcia is exempt into The Masters for life courtesy of his only major victory at Augusta National in 2017 over the aforementioned Rose in a play-off.
Tyrrell Hatton
Hatton qualified for the 2026 Masters by finishing in the top four of the 2025 U.S. Open at Oakmont.
The Englishman is also among the top 50 of the world rankings.
Dustin Johnson
Johnson won his second major championship title at the 2020 Masters.
The tournament was held in November that year because of the global pandemic.
Tom McKibbin
The 23-year-old, who honed his game at the same club as McIlroy when he was a junior, qualified for the 2026 Masters by winning the Hong Kong Open.
Phil Mickelson
Lefty, as you will likely know, is a former champion.
Mickelson won The Masters in 2004, 2006 and 2010.
Not that he needed it, but Mickelson’s PGA Championship victory in 2021 at Kiawah Island also gave him a five-year Masters exemption.
Carlos Ortiz
The Mexican, 34, qualified for the 2026 Masters by finishing inside the top-five at the 2025 U.S. Open at Oakmont.
Jon Rahm
Rahm claimed his second major championship title at the 2023 Masters, capitalizing on Brooks Koepka’s self-confessed collapse.
Rahm also has a five-year exemption into The Masters after winning the U.S. Open in 2021 at Torrey Pines.
Cameron Smith
Cameron Smith qualified for the 2026 Masters by winning the landmark, 150th Open at St Andrews in 2022.
His exemption expires after the 2026 Masters.
Bubba Watson
Watson won The Masters in 2012 and 2014.
Charl Schwartzel
The South African won the 2011 Masters, finishing one stroke clear of Australia’s Adam Scott.
Article originally appeared on: Golfmagic.com