What Scottie Scheffler said about LIV golfers at The Masters’ Champions Dinner has been revealed by Tom Watson

The annual Champions Dinner at The Masters took place on Tuesday evening.

Many previous winners of the tournament came together to celebrate Scottie Scheffler’s victory last year.In keeping with the long-standing tradition of the event, Scheffler chose the food menu and gave a speech to his peers.

Tom Watson revealed after he, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player teed off on Thursday morning that the world number spoke about LIV Golf at the dinner.Scottie Scheffler mentioned LIV Golf in his Champions Dinner speech at The Masters
Watson didn’t hold back with his comments on the potential merger between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf.

He said that he “doesn’t see” a way in which the two tours can reach an agreement whereby the top players from both can play against each other more regularly.

Scheffler seemingly has a more positive take on the situation, however, as he said it was “great” to have some of the LIV stars at the Champions Dinner.

Watson said: “They made their choice to play their own tour, and that’s where they are right now. I don’t see a real working mechanism for the two tours to get back together. I think that’s one of the reasons you haven’t seen an agreement, as you said, since June two years ago.

“The one thing I do know is that Scottie Scheffler, in his speech at the past champions dinner on Tuesday night, said, ‘I’m glad we’re all together again.’ So the players would like to get together.

AUGUSTA, GEORGIA – APRIL 10: Fred Ridley, Chairman of Augusta National Golf Club poses with Honorary Starters, Gary Player of South Africa, Jack Nicklaus of the United States and Tom Watson of the United States on the first tee during the first round of the 2025 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 10, 2025 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)

“But it’s really up to the powers that be to see if there’s a framework in which the two tours can cooperate. I don’t see that framework happening. Maybe they’re smarter people than I am, but the key element of the PGA Tour, the one thing that is required of you, is to get permission to play in a competing tournament, conflicting event rule. That’s there to protect the sponsors of our PGA Tour so that the fields are not depleted of all the good players as they go and play other tournaments. That’s the main requirement.

“Over the years, I got special exemptions, maybe twice a year, once a year, got permission of the Tour to be able to compete in a tournament that’s opposite the PGA Tour, and that’s the reason. I don’t see how the two tours can get together.

“But from the standpoint of what Scottie said, I concur, it would be great to have all the great players play together, and it’s happening in the major championships. Here in particular, we have LIV players who have won the championship, won the Masters Tournament, who are exempt to play every year.

“The Open Championship, same thing, up to age 60. The US Open and the PGA are two different tournaments. They have to have special exemptions for the players to be able to play when they’re outside the world rankings of the top 50. That’s my two cents’ worth.

AUGUSTA, GEORGIA – APRIL 10: Honorary Starter Jack Nicklaus of the United States prepares to tee off during the first round of the 2025 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 10, 2025 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

Jack Nicklaus spoke about the PGA Tour-LIV Golf situation on Thursday at The Masters

Six-time Masters champion Nicklaus also gave his verdict on the controversial PGA Tour-LIV Golf saga.

He said that the PGA Tour had been “very successful” at promoting young talent recently after the departures of some great players to LIV.

Nicklaus seems to think that it’s not an urgent problem which needs to be solved, even though that would be ideal.

He explained: “Well, I think the LIV pushed the PGA Tour into doing some things that were a little premature for the PGA Tour. But the PGA Tour is doing fine. I think they’ve changed their structure. The players now own a piece of what’s going on.

“I think their plan of bringing along with their elevated events and their plan of bringing young players along in the other tournaments has been very successful. We’re making new stars for the game.

“Would I love to see them all come together? Sure, I think we all would. But I think the PGA Tour is the Tour, and that’s where most of your good players are, and I think it’s very healthy no matter which way it goes, but obviously we’d all like to see everybody together.”