BROOKS KOEPKA has confirmed the 18 LIV golfers playing the Masters are planning an unprecedented ‘pitch invasion’ if one of them wins on Sunday.
The four-time Major champion warmed up for The Masters by winning his second LIV Golf title last weekend, and the bookies are offering just 5-1 against any of the rebel stars claiming the green jacket.
GettyBrooks Koepka claims there could be a ‘pitch invasion’ if a LIV Golf player wins The Masters[/caption]
And Koepka admitted if it happens, golf fans could witness scenes never seen on the manicured lawns of Augusta, with every other LIV golfer rushing on the 18th green to celebrate.
He said: It’s great to see all the top players back together for the first time in almost a year, and I know all 18 of us from LIV want to win this event so much.
“When you look at it, if one of the guys does win, I would be shocked if all of us aren’t there to celebrate.”
LIV Golf supremo Greg Norman had earlier revealed that the players had told him the celebration would take the form of an 18th green takeover.
Norman explained: “I’m telling you, they’re not going there as individuals, but as a team, backing each other, supporting and rooting for each other.
“They’ve said that if one of them wins, then the other 17 will hang around and be there to congratulate him around the 18th green. Could you imagine what a scene that would be, all these players hugging the winner.
“You only see things like that in the Ryder Cup, although it’s happening in our events more and more.”
“And fair enough, a Masters win would be huge for LIV – but I think it would be bigger for the game of golf. Just think, if down the stretch it was Rory McIlroy against Dustin Johnson. It’d be off the charts and Augusta knows that.”
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The last time the game’s biggest stars were all in the same field was at The Open last July – when Cameron Smith carried off the Claret Jug and promptly accepted a £100million offer to join LIV.
Smith was the only LIV golfer brought into the media centre for a pre-Masters interview, even though players such as three-time champion Phil Mickelson and 2021 winner Johnson have invariably been on the shortlist in the past.
Smith looked embarrassed when he was asked about the 18th green plans, and said: “I must have got left out of that conversation. I don’t know what’s going to happen. I guess we’ll see how the week unfolds.
“For sure I’d love to see one of us guys get up to the top of the leaderboard and really give it a nice shot.”
Smith revealed he had brought two sets of clothes with him this week, in case the green jackets “tap me on the shoulder about what I am wearing”.
The rebels agreed among themselves that they would not have any official LIV branding on their gear – but have brought shirts and rainwear with the emblems of the teams they represent on them.
But they also have clothing with no branding at all, in case they are told not to turn up on Thursday without any LIV logos whatsoever.