Golf icon Fred Couples makes LIV Golf jibe at Greg Norman after he paid for his own ticket to the Masters... amid Jon Rahm's claims that former teammates 'wouldn't look at him' at Augusta

Masters champion Fred Couples took a shot at LIV Golf commissioner Greg Norman after he reportedly bought his own ticket to attend the tournament at Augusta National.

LIV Golf had 13 players in the field - including Bryson DeChambeau, who had the sole lead through 18 holes and shared the lead through 36.

Couples laughed at the commissioner through social media, wondering how he could have over a dozen players in the field but none could get 'The Shark' in.

'13 @livgolf_league players in the field for @themasters and none of them could get @sharkgregnorman a ticket?,' Couples posted on social media.

'Greg had to buy one? Next year if you need one Shark let me know.'

Fred Couples (L) laughed at Greg Norman (R) for buying his way into attending The Masters

Couples was surprised that none of the 13 LIV Golfers in the field got Norman into Augusta

Norman says he was well received. Jon Rahm experienced a different reception from golfers.

One of the replies to Couples came from Norman's son, Greg Jr, who didn't hold back in his critique of the 1992 Masters Champion's joke.

'So glad we beat you in 2008 at Skillsaid,' Greg Jr. began. 'Let me break this down for you. It was never about getting a free ticket. He was always going to buy a ticket.

'He wanted to do the right thing by requesting to purchase a ticket directly from the tournament. They denied the request. So he bought one anyway.

'He didn't want a free ticket from anyone or bother any player with something like this. 

'The point was how nice everyone was to him on site and how the majority of folks are not cold-hearted trolls like some individuals are on the internet who only aim to sow discord.'

Norman, however, said that he had a relatively positive reception at Augusta National - even saying that there were 'hundreds of people, even security guys, stopping me, saying, "Hey, what you're doing is fantastic." To me, that tells you that what we have and the platform fits within the ecosystem, and it's good for the game of golf.'

The same might not be said for LIV's golfers - including Jon Rahm, who said that people he was close with didn't even look him in the eye at Augusta as a result of his winter LIV defection.

But the 2023 Masters champion brushed it off, saying, 'If someone changes their opinion of me, it is more their problem than mine. I am not worried. I knew it was going to happen. I didn't know who.'