Augusta National chairman makes expected LIV Golf comments before 2025 Masters

Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley has confirmed LIV Golf players are unlikely to receive special exemptions into The Masters.

The United States Golf Association said in February the leading player on the breakaway tour would gain entry into the 2025 U.S. Open at Oakmont. 

Shortly after that announcement the R&A confirmed the top player not otherwise exempt would be in the field for this July's Open at Royal Portrush. 

Ridley was asked ahead of the 2025 Masters if Augusta National had something similar in the works. 

The 72-year-old hinted that is not happening any time soon, adding: "We are an invitational tournament. 

"We have historically considered special cases for invitations for international players, which is how Joaquin Niemann was invited, or why he was invited, the last couple years.

"We feel we can deal with that issue, whether it's a LIV player or a player on some other tour that might not otherwise be eligible for an invitation, that we can handle that with a special invitation."

Ridley said Augusta is always open to having a 'thorough examination' of their processes, though. 

Masters chief urges reunification 

The 2025 Masters will bring together players from LIV and the PGA Tour for the first time in eight months. 

On 3 April, it was reported the PGA Tour rejected a $1.5bn offer from the Saudi PIF, leaving elite men's golf no closer to reconciliation. 

Tiger Woods said in February that peace could be on the horizon. 

But Rory McIlroy torpedoed that claim by saying that any deal 'takes two to tango'. 

Jon Rahm, who left the PGA Tour for LIV Golf in December 2023, told reporters on Tuesday that he believes no deal is imminent. 

"I'm not really in a position to say what form that should take as far as how the two organisations should come together," Ridley said. 

But he stressed that he will be encouraging cooperation. 

"So I'm going to continue to be saying that and encouraging the leaders of the organisations involved to try to work together to come up with a solution," he said.  

"But I think we all agree that four times a year is not enough to have the great players of the game together."