Key LIV Golf figure blasts (!) Masters legend: "He's tarnished his career"

LIV Golf's Jerry Foltz has claimed legendary commentator Jim Nantz 'tarnished his career' with a pointed remark about the breakaway tour during coverage of the 88th Masters. 

Foltz made the declaration in the latest episode of LIV's podcast 'Fairway to Heaven'. 

The commentator wasn't happy with Nantz for pointing out during Sunday's coverage on CBS that the top five players on the leaderboard were PGA Tour members. 

Foltz told the podcast: "It was sad to me to see what Jim Nantz did as the players walked to the 16th tee. 

“A legendary broadcaster who’s going to probably go down as one of the best ever tarnished his own career with something as petty as pointing out that the top five on the leaderboard that they were showing were all PGA Tour players.

“The comments on social media unfortunately didn’t flatter Jim Nantz. The Masters is above that. I’ve always held Jim Nantz in a regard way above something that petty.”

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Foltz went on to explain that Nantz narrated the 'most heartfelt' farewell to the retiring Sean McManus. 

McManus, the chairman of CBS sports, followed in the footsteps of his father Jim McKay. 

McKay, also a legend of sports broadcasting, died in 2008 at the age of 86. 

"Jim McKay would have never stooped to Jim Nantz doing what he did to try and point out his loyalty to the PGA Tour," added Foltz. 

"It really put a dampener on the whole day."

There were 13 LIV players in the field for the first major of the year. 

One of them was the defending champion, Jon Rahm, who made the cut by the skin of his teeth.

But the Spaniard simply wasn't a factor over the weekend. 

Instead LIV's pursuit of the green jacket was led primarily by Bryson DeChambeau. 

DeChambeau held the 18-hole lead but went backwards as the course firmed up and the conditions worsened. 

Cameron Smith also played his way into contention after 54 holes, despite being sick. 

And England's Tyrrell Hatton finished inside the top-10. 

LIV players who missed the cut included former winners Sergio Garcia, Bubba Watson, Charl Schwartzel and Dustin Johnson. 

Poland's Adrian Meronk, playing in his first Masters, also missed the cut.  

Nantz has a history of making some comments about LIV players competing at Augusta National. 

During the 2023 Masters, Nantz poked fun at LIV when Brooks Koepka was forced to lay-up on the par-5 15th during the third round. 

As the American approached his ball, Nantz made a subtle joke. "There it is right on the CW... the crosswalk!"

The context of the joke was that LIV broadcasts on the CW Network. 

Nantz later said the he was 'shocked' there was any reaction to his comment. 

"I was just, maybe being a little cheeky," he said. "I certainly didn't mean it to be a shot. It as not a shot at all."

LIV Golf leaderboard at 2024 Masters:

T-2: C. Smith, B. DeChambeau -2

T-9: T. Hatton E

T-12: P. Reed +1

T-22: J. Niemann +4

T-43 P. Mickelson +8

T-45: B. Koepka, J. Rahm +9

Missed cut:

S. Garcia +7

B. Watson +10

C. Schwartzel +11

D. Johnson +13

A. Meronk +14

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