‘They can win’: Niemann and Mito Pereira arrive at Augusta Masters amid war between LIV and PGA

Augusta opens its doors again. The most important golf tournament in the world is preparing for its 2023 edition, which begins this Thursday and will count Joaquín Niemann and Mito Pereira among the players who will fight for the green jacket and the glory in “Amen Corner”. Less than 48 hours later, Eduardo Miquel, the coach of the two, speaks with The third.

He does so from Georgia, the state home to one of the most exclusive and traditional golf courses on the planet. From its hundreds of magnolias and camellias to the fact that no reference to a sponsor is allowed in the immediate area, Augusta National Golf Club exudes a unique aura.

This is why everyone wants to register their name among the champions of the first major of the year. And for Eduardo Miquel, Niemann and Mito are at this level. “I have a lot of faith that they have a chance to win every week obviously a lot of things always have to agree it has to happen but that they have the game to fight with the best in the world and win that type of tournament, both have. If they have good feelings, they can win “says the Chilean coach.

Miquel has long worked with both, experiencing first hand the rise of his students. This includes his PGA finishes, major major appearances and recent LIV arrivals. A point which is also addressed in the conversation at El Deportivo.

Something inevitable if you think about all that the PGA vs LIV battle has generated for this Augusta. These previous weeks have been full of conflicts and provocations, even causing Sergio García to appear on the pitch during training days wearing the shirt of his super league team. Earlier, Joaquín Niemann said the players on the North American tour hate them and Greg Norman predicted that if a LIV player won on Sunday, the other 17 Masters participants would be there to celebrate.

But Eduardo Miquel differs. He detaches himself from these differences and intersections, admitting that in his eyes the external elements are those which magnify the subject. “There’s a good wave among LIV players, but with the rest of the PGA there’s no harm either. I think social media displays the situation more than it is. Here there are no bad feelings among the players. There are still plenty of LIV and PGA who have a good relationship “, confesses the leader of the EM Academy.

Events like this inevitably bring the union between the two tours. In fact, the Chileans are not spared after the confirmation of the departures for the first two rounds.

For example, Mito Pereira will start his run in Augusta at 11:42 am this Thursday and he will do so accompanied by a legend of the circuit: the German Bernhard Langer. At 65, and currently playing on the PGA Tour Champions, he is an eminence on the North American Tour and on Augusta. A man of total tradition. In 1985 he first won the green jacket, repeating the honor in 1993.

Along with them will appear amateur, Ben Carr. Although not a PGA player, the 22-year-old had a fine career in the United States, reaching the US Amateur final at Ridgewood Country Club in New Jersey and competing at the Puerto Rico Rich Open in March 2023.

Niemann for his part will start at 1:00 p.m. in the company of Brian Harman and Tyrrell Hatton, in a trident composed exclusively of PGA winners.

While the Chilean picked up victories at A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier (2019) and the Genesis Invitational (2022), Harman did so at the John Deere Classic (2014) and the Wells Fargo Championship (2017). Hatton won the trophy at the 2020 Arnold Palmer Invitational.

Finally, Miquel points out that he sees the Chileans in a big personal moment. Who enjoy this new experience called LIV. “They really like the team theme. They have a good time with Sebastián Muñoz and David Puig, they have a very good atmosphere. It’s fun and I see them preparing well, trying to win individual tournaments, also in teams. the truth looks good “, he concludes.