Masters 2026: Nicklaus, Player and Watson hit their ceremonial tee shots, then speak their minds about golf

AUGUSTA, Ga. — The honorary starters hit their opening tee shots Thursday morning to begin the 90th Masters Tournament—and then took a few more shots when they fielded questions in the interview room at Augusta National. On a clear and chilly morning, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Tom Watson, who together own 11 green jackets, once again kicked off the year’s first men’s major—with Player, 90, showing off with a high leg kick after hitting the first tee ball—and then kicked up a little dust.

Watson, in particular, was frank in offering the opinion that he does not agree with the PGA Tour allowing LIV golfers Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed to have their memberships restored and would “ban them for life. ” “The tour made a decision to renege on what they promised when the players left for LIV,” Watson, 76, said. “They felt that the compensation that he's paid [$5 million to charity] is good enough.

I thought the LIV players, when they left, they were supposed to be banned for life. If I was commissioner, that's what I would do. I'd say if you're finished with your contract with LIV Golf, if you want to play the PGA Tour again, you come back, and you must play the Korn Ferry Tour for a year to qualify for it.

They saw it differently. “When the players left, they violated the No. 1 rule that we really had out here, which is to protect the sponsors,” Watson continued.