GOLF fans believe the Masters is punishing LIV players after revealing the first-round pairings.

LIV Golf has split the sport since it began at the Centurion Club in Hemel Hempstead back in June 2022.

Fronted by former World No1 Greg Norman, it is financed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund and poached some of the biggest names on the PGA Tour.

But LIV golfers, such as former Green Jacket winners Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed, Bubba Watson, Charl Schwartzel, Sergio Garcia and Phil Mickelson, have been invited back at Augusta this year.

However, the first-round pairings seem to indicate a grudge is still held as stars like Cameron Smith, Bryson DeChambeau and Mickelson feature in lackluster pairings or late tee-times.

That didn’t sit well with golf enthusiasts, who took to social media to slam the organisers, who didn’t include LIV golfers in featured groups.

One fan tweeted: “You should be ashamed of yourself to not have any LIV golfers as features groups!!!

“I will not be watching any of the feature groups this masters because of your ill advice decisions and bias ways of thinking.”

Another commented: “The @PGATOUR not having any Liv player in their featured groups is a coward move.

“Can’t wait to watch Brooks run away with it. The Masters group pairings are comically bad.”

A third wrote: The idea that Max Homa is in a featured group at the Masters over Brooks Keopka or Dustin Johnson is insane.

“I thought the Masters was going to be unbiased to the LIV guys? Clearly not.”

Tiger Woods gets underway mid-afternoon, while Rory McIlroy will have to wait a while before his ninth shot at completing a career grand slam by winning the Masters.