Masters champion Jon Rahm accepted that his move to LIV Golf will probably have an impact on his standing in the game but said he had hoped his decision would help to reunite the game's top players.
The Spaniard moved to the rebel circuit last December while the PGA Tour and Saudi Arabian backers of LIV Golf were apparently working towards finalising a definitive partnership agreement.
Speaking at Augusta National ahead of his Masters title defence, world No 3 Rahm said part of his motivation to join LIV Golf was that it would play a role in bringing players together.
"I understood my position, yes. And I understood that it could be, what I hoped, a step towards some kind of agreement, yes. Or more of an agreement or expedited agreement," said Rahm.
"But unfortunately it's not up to me. But I would hope it would be something that would help expedite that process. But at the end of the day, I still did what I thought was best for myself."
Rahm accepted a reported $300 million to join LIV Golf eight months after his Masters triumph. The 29-year-old Spaniard acknowledged that decision will be likely to affect his legacy.
"Well, luckily it's still quite early in my career to be thinking about legacy. So it's not really something I have in mind constantly," said Rahm.
"I mean, will it change? Yeah. It's a bit of a detour on my path. But change can be better."
Rahm is one of 13 LIV players in the field this week, including seven who previously have won a green jacket. Augusta National also extended an invitation to Joaquin Niemann of Chile, who did not have the world ranking necessary to get in but won the Australian Open in December.
It is unclear whether a merger of the PGA Tour, the DP World Tour and Saudi Arabia's PIF is any closer. They announced their "framework agreement" last year.
Until such a merger were to happen, the four majors are the only times the best players from LIV Golf will join the best of the PGA and DP World tours.
Norway's Viktor Hovland, one of the PGA Tour's rising stars, was asked what it was like to play again with Rahm, Brooks Koepka and other LIV players.
"They're certainly a couple of the guys out there that I miss and I think it's good that we get to meet and get to play against each other again," Hovland said. "Hopefully, everyone at home will enjoy seeing everyone kind of play against each other."
Meanwhile, five-time Masters winner Tiger Woods said his focus is on one more title at Augusta after years of health issues.
"If everything comes together, I think I can get one more," Woods said with a grin. "Do I need to describe that any more than that, or are we good?"
Two years ago, Woods made his return to competitive golf at the Masters less than 14 months after an accident nearly cost him his right leg. He made the cut at Augusta before finishing 47th.
Woods has since struggled to remain fit. After making the cut at the 2023 Masters, the third round was suspended due to rain and he withdrew rather than returning Sunday.
That led to ankle surgery later that month. Woods came back to play two unofficial events in December, but when he attempted to play in the February's Genesis Invitational, he withdrew early in his second round due to flu-like symptoms.
"I wasn't ready to play. My body wasn't ready," Woods said in response to a question about the Genesis. "My game wasn't ready. And I thought that when I was at (the Hero World Challenge), once a month would be a really nice rhythm. Hasn't worked out that way.
"But now we have major championships every month from here through July. So now the once a month hopefully kicks in."
HOW TO WATCH
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A list of the animal rescue organisations in the UAE
The biog
First Job: Abu Dhabi Department of Petroleum in 1974
Current role: Chairperson of Al Maskari Holding since 2008
Career high: Regularly cited on Forbes list of 100 most powerful Arab Businesswomen
Achievement: Helped establish Al Maskari Medical Centre in 1969 in Abu Dhabi’s Western Region
Future plan: Will now concentrate on her charitable work
Company%20profile
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
Brief scores
Day 1
Toss England, chose to bat
England, 1st innings 357-5 (87 overs): Root 184 not out, Moeen 61 not out, Stokes 56; Philander 3-46
Awar Qalb
Director: Jamal Salem
Starring: Abdulla Zaid, Joma Ali, Neven Madi and Khadija Sleiman
Two stars
Expert advice
“Join in with a group like Cycle Safe Dubai or TrainYAS, where you’ll meet like-minded people and always have support on hand.”
Stewart Howison, co-founder of Cycle Safe Dubai and owner of Revolution Cycles
“When you sweat a lot, you lose a lot of salt and other electrolytes from your body. If your electrolytes drop enough, you will be at risk of cramping. To prevent salt deficiency, simply add an electrolyte mix to your water.”
Cornelia Gloor, head of RAK Hospital’s Rehabilitation and Physiotherapy Centre
“Don’t make the mistake of thinking you can ride as fast or as far during the summer as you do in cooler weather. The heat will make you expend more energy to maintain a speed that might normally be comfortable, so pace yourself when riding during the hotter parts of the day.”
Chandrashekar Nandi, physiotherapist at Burjeel Hospital in Dubai
Best Foreign Language Film nominees
Capernaum (Lebanon)
Cold War (Poland)
Never Look Away (Germany)
Roma (Mexico)
Shoplifters (Japan)
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FIXTURES
All kick-off times 10.45pm UAE ( 4 GMT) unless stated
Tuesday
Sevilla v Maribor
Spartak Moscow v Liverpool
Manchester City v Shakhtar Donetsk
Napoli v Feyenoord
Besiktas v RB Leipzig
Monaco v Porto
Apoel Nicosia v Tottenham Hotspur
Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid
Wednesday
Basel v Benfica
CSKA Moscow Manchester United
Paris Saint-Germain v Bayern Munich
Anderlecht v Celtic
Qarabag v Roma (8pm)
Atletico Madrid v Chelsea
Juventus v Olympiakos
Sporting Lisbon v Barcelona
Monster
Directed by: Anthony Mandler
Starring: Kelvin Harrison Jr., John David Washington
3/5
THE BIO:
Favourite holiday destination: Thailand. I go every year and I’m obsessed with the fitness camps there.
Favourite book: Born to Run by Christopher McDougall. It’s an amazing story about barefoot running.
Favourite film: A League of their Own. I used to love watching it in my granny’s house when I was seven.
Personal motto: Believe it and you can achieve it.
SHAITTAN
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Nepotism is the name of the game
Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, is one of Bollywood’s most legendary screenwriters. Through his partnership with co-writer Javed Akhtar, Salim is credited with having paved the path for the Indian film industry’s blockbuster format in the 1970s. Something his son now rules the roost of. More importantly, the Salim-Javed duo also created the persona of the “angry young man” for Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the 1970s, reflecting the angst of the average Indian. In choosing to be the ordinary man’s “hero” as opposed to a thespian in new Bollywood, Salman Khan remains tightly linked to his father’s oeuvre. Thanks dad.
The specs: 2018 Nissan Patrol Nismo
Price: base / as tested: Dh382,000
Engine: 5.6-litre V8
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 428hp @ 5,800rpm
Torque: 560Nm @ 3,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.7L / 100km
