Don't Expect the Masters Broadcast to Linger on LIV Golf

Despite all the awkwardness leading up to the first major, CBS officials say LIV-related storylines won't be a part of its presentation.

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Bubba Watson scoffed at the idea that there would be any awkwardness this week at the Masters for the 18 LIV Golfers who are in the field, calling it a media-driven narrative that is not an issue.

While it might not be for Watson, the two-time Masters champion, the truth is there has been an abundance of vitriol on both sides, a good bit of it unprompted.

One of the biggest stories to hit the game of golf is undoubtedly going to elicit media questions. And how those questions are answered is going to drive the narrative. All you need to do is check out some of the back-and-forth between Rory McIlroy and Sergio Garcia—once Ryder Cup teammates, friends and attendees of each other’s wedding—to see this is far more than a media issue.

Despite the many LIV Golf storylines, Masters broadcasters say the emphasis will stay on what's happening on the course :: Andrew Davis Tucker/USA TODAY Sports

Two weeks ago at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play Championship, Golf Channel endured criticism because it ran a graphic listing past winners of the tournament going back more than 10 years—but left out two players, Dustin Johnson and Watson—who had won the tournament in 2017 and 2018, respectively.

That kind of pettiness only fuels the angst that is seen on both sides. And given the PGA Tour’s strict stance on LIV players—it has said anyone who competes in a LIV Golf event won’t be permitted to play in any PGA Tour-sanctioned event for at least a year following—then there is going to be some friction.

This is less of an issue at the major championships, where so far the LIV players have not be thwarted from competing—although none of the majors have fully embraced LIV, either.

And so how will the players be treated this week? For the first time since the Dubai Desert Classic on the DP World Tour in late January, LIV players will be part of the scene at Augusta National.

“We’re not going to cover up or hide anything," said CBS Chairman Sean McManus in a conference call with reporters last week. “As I’ve said often, our job is to cover the golf tournament. We’re not going to show any different treatment for the golfers who have played on the LIV Tour than the other golfers.

“If there is a pertinent point or something that we feel we should bring up in our coverage Saturday or Sunday or on our other coverage throughout the week, we’re not going to put our heads in the sand."

Don’t expect any deep dives into the controversy LIV Golf has presented, however.

“Unless it really affects the story that’s taking place on the golf course, we’re not going to go out of our way to cover it," McManus said. “I’m not sure there is anything that we could add to this story as it already exists. It’s a factor and we’ll cover it as suitable."