LIV Golf lands at Donald Trump's Doral course in Miami as 13 rebels - including reigning Masters champion Jon Rahm, Brooks Koepka and Phil Mickelson - all warm up for another shot at Augusta National next week

Greg Norman made it clear 12 months ago that the sight of a LIV golfer winning the Masters would lead to scenes of wild celebration on Augusta National's 18th green.

In his head, the public face of the breakaway circuit knew a winner on golf's grandest stage would give the Saudi-bankrolled tour a legitimacy that it had so far lacked. 

Brooks Koepka, Phil Mickelson and Patrick Reed all threatened to cause an awkward scene for Masters organizers but in the end none of them could keep pace with Jon Rahm.

So how did LIV and its unlimited resources react? They gave Rahm, the man who ruined Norman's dream, $500million and made the biggest signing from the PGA Tour yet.

Now, 12 months on, Norman's charges will return to Georgia next week with the current holder of the Green Jacket within their ranks and even more optimism that they can land another devastating blow.

Jon Rahm is the reigning Masters champion and will be hoping to get his first LIV win in Miami

LIV Golf has rolled into Miami and Trump National Doral will be the sight of this week's event

LIV will send 13 players to golf's most iconic tournament, down from 18 in 2023, as the battle for golf's future continues to be waged off the course.

Rahm, Mickelson, Kopeka and Reed will be joined by Bryson DeChambeau, Sergio Garcia, Cameron Smith, Dustin Johnson, Tyrrell Hatton, Joaquin Niemann, Bubba Watson, Charl Schwartzel and Adrian Meronk.

All 13 - seven of them past Augusta champions - will compete at this week's LIV event in Miami, where the grueling Trump National Doral returns to its usual staging post as a pre-Masters test.

Despite the eagerly-anticipated meeting of the sport's best in one place next week, golf is still divided. 

Talks have been going on for months - the PGA Tour struck a deal with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund last June and a deal was supposed to be completed by the end of last year.

Speaking in Miami on Wednesday, DeChambeau boldly suggested that a resolution had to be reached immediately. 

The big-hitting American said: 'It's up to the guys up top to figure it out and figure it out quickly because we can't keep going this direction. It's not sustainable, for sure.' 

Veteran Phil Mickelson is one of 13 LIV golfers who will be competing at the Masters next week

LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman will be hoping one of his players can stun Augusta National

Rahm painted a more positive picture, though.  

'I think there's room for both. It's as simple as that,' the Spaniard said. 'I think we have the opportunity to end up with an even better product for the spectators and the fans of the game, a little bit more variety doesn't really hurt anybody. 

'So, I think, properly done, we can end up with a much better product that can take golf to the next level worldwide, and I'm hoping that's what ends up happening.'

LIV's TV ratings in the US are still struggling. Nielsen TV data from February showed LIV's event in Mayakoba pulled in just 432,000 viewers on the CW Network, its most ever. 

On the same day, a rerun of a PGA Tour round from Pebble Beach had 1.21 million viewers on CBS.

Talks about golf's future can be put on hold for now, though, as players bound for the Masters arrive in Miami hoping to find some form. 

You will struggle to find a more in-form golfer in the world than Niemann, the Chilean who has clawed his way into the Masters by winning the Australian Open and two LIV events and posting two other top-5s on the DP World Tour.

Cameron Smith swings at Trump National Doral as he looks for his first win of the season

Johnson is the only other Masters-bound player to have won a LIV event this season while DeChambeau's Crushers GC lead the way in the team standings.

This week will also mark Anthony Kim's first tournament in the USA since May 2012 after his 12-year disappearance from professional golf due to battles with addiction and multiple surgeries.

Rahm, meanwhile, is yet to show his best and win but has finished in the top eight at all four LIV events in his debut season. His best finish is still a third place in the season opener at Mayakoba. 

Asked on Wednesday if a LIV player can win at Augusta, he said: 'That is a very hard question to answer. 

'But you know, there [are] quite a few major champions in LIV, and there are a few that are major-champion-quality golfers. 

'So just pure numbers, if you go with math, wouldn't be the highest, but I'm confident that one of us can get it done this year.'

This week in Miami will give an indication whether any LIV golfer can tame Augusta and give Norman and LIV's backers the Masters party they truly want.