LIV Golf stars answered their critics upon their PGA Tour return at The Masters, after Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed all finished inside the top four at Augusta National.
The famous Georgia course proved to be the perfect setting for the PGA Tour and LIV rivals to call a ceasefire, as civil war continues to wager on in professional golf. Heading into the event questions marks were raised against the returning rebels following their period away from golf's leading circuit.
The breakaway series has been criticised for its no-cut, 54-hole format, with it seemingly lacking the standard and intensity of its rival Tour.
Heading to Augusta, LIV's returning men no doubt had a point to prove, and they certainly did that. Out of the 18 defectors that teed it up at Augusta, 12 of them competed in all four rounds after finding themselves on the right side of the 36-hole cut line on Saturday.
Koepka and co were not just there to make up the weekend numbers though, as the four-time major champion led from the front to hold the 54-hole lead over Jon Rahm heading into Sunday's final round.
In the end it was not to be for Koepka, as the American carded a final round three-over-par 75 to finish four shots behind eventual champion Rahm. Whilst one LIV star stumbled on Sunday, two more took on the mantle, as three-time winner Mickelson and 2018 champion Reed made their move through the field.
Despite starting the day 10 shots back of leader Koepka, Augusta stalwart Mickelson rolled back the years to shoot a remarkable seven-under 65 in round four - the lowest 18-hole score of any Masters player over the age of 50. That saw the 52-year-old equal fellow LIV man Koepka for the tournament, and gave him a tied second finish.
The low LIV shooting was not done there though. 4 Aces man Reed showed glimpses of his famous win five years ago, after shooting eight birdies to sign for a final round four-under 68, leaving him in a tie for fourth with Russell Henley and playing partner Jordan Spieth.
What did you make of the returning LIV Golf stars? Let us know in the comments section below.
One man who was left impressed with the LIV quota is coach to the stars Butch Harmon. Harmon - who trained the likes of Tiger Woods, Mickelson and Dustin Johnson throughout his career - told Sky Sports: "The controversy of LIV was that they only play three rounds, they haven't played a lot of golf tournaments, the guys aren't tested.
"Three of the top four are LIV players. You have got Brooks [Koepka], [Phil] Mickelson, Patrick Reed. These are all stars on the LIV Tour and they proved to the world of golf today that they can compete with the rest of the players around the world. Yes it is a different league, a different type of golf, but great players are great players, I don't care where they play."
