Jon Rahm admits it would be a 'great story' if a LIV player wins the Masters but Tyrrell Hatton insists there's no rivalry with their 'friends' as both prepare for the first major since defecting from the PGA Tour

Jon Rahm has admitted it would be a 'great story' if one of the 13 LIV players going to the Masters can emerge victorious at Augusta National.

The defending Masters champion will play in his first major championship since his shock defection from the PGA Tour last year, when he signed a $500million deal with the Saudi-backed breakaway circuit.

LIV boss Greg Norman made it clear 12 months ago that there would be wild celebrations on Augusta's 18th green if one of his players managed to win golf's most famous title.

The final LIV event before the Masters in Miami this week showed that Rahm, Tyrrell Hatton, Sergio Garcia and others are ready to battle with Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy for the Green Jacket.

When asked how it felt to be representing a small group of LIV players on the biggest stage next week, Rahm admitted he wasn't thinking about it but said a victory would be huge. 

The Spaniard said: 'I can’t tell you that I’m thinking about the players who should or shouldn’t be there.

'I think I have enough on my plate going into next week and trying to win another one.

'It’ll be a great story if one of us were to do it and it would be great to support it but not that it's going to be in my mind, no.'

Rahm warmed up for the defense of his Masters title here in Miami by finishing three shots off winner Dean Burmester and runner-up Sergio Garcia, who needed a two-hole playoff to be separated.

His Legion XIII team, which also includes Hatton, Kieran Vincent and Caleb Surratt won the group competition after a nervy finish that was helped by an inspired 33ft putt from Rahm.

Hatton threatened the top of the leaderboard for most of the final day but fell away after two costly bogeys. He agreed with Rahm that his focus will be purely on his game next week as he tries to win a first major title.

The Englishman said: 'I would say the media is going to make it more LIV, PGA Tour, European Tour, whatever. 

'Ultimately, at the end of the day, that doesn’t really matter. There are guys who play on those tours who are our friends. We get on well with them.

'But when we go out on the golf course we’re going to try our best to win. At majors it doesn’t matter what “side” you’re on. You’re just trying your best.'

Next week will also see Rahm come up against Scheffler and McIlroy, who he was involved in a three-way tussle for supremacy on the PGA Tour in recent seasons.

Asked whether his move to LIV has added an extra dimension to their battle at Augusta, Rahm said: ‘The Masters is the Masters.

'I don’t think there’s any difference whether you play PGA Tour, LIV, European Tour or Sunshine Tour. A major is a major.

'You could have asked me the same question last year with some of the LIV players. I wouldn’t say there’s anything added to it.'