Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau had been tipped by many to make an enormous problem for the Masters Inexperienced Jacket this 12 months.
Rahm had gained the title in 2023 and was in nice type on LIV. DeChambeau had made the highest six within the earlier two Masters and headed to Augusta after capturing the most recent two occasions on the LIV schedule.
All the things regarded in place however each males flopped. DeChambeau tousled the ultimate gap to overlook the 36-hole minimize whereas Rahm scraped into the weekend on the quantity and made modest progress to complete thirty eighth.
Their joint failure had many casting aspersions on the worth of enjoying in LIV occasions. Are they aggressive sufficient? Are the programs on LIV too straightforward and no preparation to tackle a course like Augusta Nationwide?
Debate raged, because it does, however what do the info say? Have been the poor showings of Rahm and DeChambeau simply remoted examples and never consultant?
To get a broader view, Golf365 appears at how LIV gamers have carried out in majors for the reason that breakaway tour got here into existence in June 2022.
Has a LIV participant really gained a serious? Let’s undergo every of the 4.
The Masters
The primary Masters to characteristic LIV gamers was the 2023 version.
Rahm, the winner, hadn’t joined at that stage however LIV gamers thrived. Phil Mickelson and Brooks Koepka completed joint-second whereas Patrick Reed was fourth.
In 2024, the LIV gamers carried out properly once more though none made the highest 5. DeChambeau and Cam Smith had been tied sixth, Tyrrell Hatton tied ninth and Reed tied twelfth.
Final 12 months there have been two LIV gamers within the high 5 – Reed in third and DeChambeau in tied fifth.
Regardless of Rahm and DeChambeau underperforming in 2026, Hatton burst by means of the sphere with a Sunday 66 to share third place.
Get US Masters picks and predictions.
PGA Championship
Within the first PGA of the LIV period (2023), Brooks Koepka lifted the trophy, thus claiming a fifth main title. DeChambeau was fourth and Cam Smith additionally made the highest 10.
DeChambeau completed runner-up in each the 2024 and 2025 PGAs, with Rahm and Joaquin Niemann each making the highest eight in final 12 months’s version.
US Open
The 2022 US Open was the primary main to characteristic LIV gamers and so they all drew loads of warmth for becoming a member of the money-laden Saudi-backed tour. Possibly in consequence, none made the highest 20.
Cam Smith (T4) and Dustin Johnson (T10) made the highest 10 at Los Angeles Nation Membership in 2023 earlier than DeChambeau turned LIV’s second main winner when edging out Rory McIlroy down the stretch at Pinehurst in 2024.
In final 12 months’s US Open, six of the 11 LIV gamers collaborating made it to the weekend. Hatton and Ortiz had been the standouts, each ending in a tie for fourth, whereas Rahm positioned seventh.
Open Championship
There have been rumours that Cam Smith was heading to LIV forward of the 2022 Open at St Andrews and, to his annoyance, the questions stored coming after he’d held off Cam Younger and McIlroy to elevate the Claret Jug.
Smith, then World No.2, formally signed up with LIV a number of weeks later.
As for these already LIV members, Dustin Johnson was one of the best with tied sixth whereas DeChambeau was a shot behind in tied eighth.
The 2023 Open was a collective flop for LIV with no-one ending higher than Henrik Stenson in thirteenth.
It was an identical story in 2024 at Royal Troon with Rahm, in tied seventh, the one one of many 17 LIV gamers to make the highest 15.
The Open once more proved the hardest main for LIV gamers at Royal Portrush in 2025, with DeChambeau’s T10 the one high 15 end among the many 20 who took half.
LIV within the majors – the ultimate depend
The Masters – 4 editionsWins: 0Top 10s: 9
PGA Championship – 3 editionsWins: 1Top 10s: 7
US Open – 3 editionsWins: 1Top 10s: 6
Open Championship – 3 editionsWins: 0Top 10s: 4
To reply the unique query, two gamers – Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau – have gained majors since switching to LIV.
There’s in all probability not sufficient years of proof but to try to draw conclusions about whether or not enjoying on LIV takes away some aggressive edge.
A counter-argument is that it leaves LIV gamers mentally brisker in the event that they’re not making an attempt to beat full fields on robust programs.
In reality, these angles have to be investigated on a case by case foundation. It’s actually completed DeChambeau no hurt however Rahm does appear to have dropped off since shifting.
Lastly, for no matter purpose, the Open Championship has been simply the worst main for LIV gamers. Will that proceed at Royal Birkdale this summer time?
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