Dustin Johnson has declared Masters week ‘enterprise as typical’ as fellow former champion Fred {Couples} performed down the good divide between the PGA Tour stars and LIV Golf defectors.
Rivals from the 2 opposing excursions are colliding at Augusta Nationwide for the primary time because the sport’s bitter battle erupted final 12 months when Johnson joined the LIV league for a reported $US200 million and several other different main winners, together with Australian Cameron Smith, adopted swimsuit.
Followers and officers alike have waited with bated breath to see how the sport’s largest names will co-exist on the 12 months’s first main and, for Johnson personally, the 2020 champion would not anticipate something in a different way.
“For me, it is the identical. All my buddies are nonetheless my buddies, and we play, and it is nonetheless golf. So it would not matter the place you play at,” Johnson mentioned after a follow spherical with PGA Tour participant Kevin Kisner.
“So it needs to be an important week and I am wanting ahead to it. I nonetheless play golf for a dwelling. I am right here on the Masters and having fun with this week. This week’s all about Augusta.
“It has nothing to do with the place you play at, however guys which can be right here, they play all world wide. Not everyone simply performs on one spot.”
Nor does Johnson imagine, as many doubters declare, that the 18-strong LIV contingent will lack a aggressive edge this week having solely performed three, 54-hole no-cut occasions to this point in 2023.
“I often do not play that many. I in all probability solely performed one or two lower than regular,” the previous world No.1 mentioned.
“I performed a very long time with all these guys so if I am taking part in how I ought to, I will be proper there on the finish.”
In the meantime, {Couples} insisted he can be glad to face Phil Mickelson and Sergio Garcia at Augusta, regardless of not too long ago insulting his fellow former Masters champions.
{Couples}, who gained the Masters in 1992, made the feedback about LIV’s Mickelson and Garcia because the visitor speaker throughout a PGA Tour Champions breakfast occasion in California final month.
Referring to the huge payment paid to Mickelson to affix the Saudi-funded breakaway, {Couples} mentioned: “In the event you’re giving Phil Mickelson 200 million ({dollars}) at age 52 to shoot 74 and 75, God bless you.
{Couples} went on to name Mickelson a “nutbag” and Garcia a “clown”, which might make for an fascinating ambiance for Tuesday’s Champions Dinner.
However {Couples} mentioned: “I am not anticipating something completely different.
“In the event that they’ve checked out something I’ve ever mentioned I name myself the identical stuff I am calling them. I simply do not assume they need to bash the PGA or anyone. Simply go and play golf.
“Tomorrow evening can be an important dinner, plenty of enjoyable. Folks have requested me if I’ll be paired (with LIV gamers). I might like to be paired with Phil.
“He is probably the greatest gamers who’s ever performed, loves this place as a lot as I do.”
With PA
