Phil Mickelson has fired numerous shots at the PGA Tour ever since he was first linked with the Saudi-backed LIV Golf.
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| Phil Mickelson has taken regular shots at the PGA Tour over the past three years (Image: Getty) |
Phil Mickelson's feud with the PGA Tour has continued after Wesley Bryan was suspended for participating in a LIV Golf event. Earlier this month, LIV introduced The Duels, a new format that saw six professionals from the Saudi-sponsored circuit team up with social media influencers.
Stars such as Sergio Garcia, Bubba Watson, Dustin Johnson, plus Mickelson and Bryan, were all part of the mix. Bryan, who has barely figured on the PGA Tour recently, seized the opportunity presented by LIV after gaining prominence as a content creator with a successful YouTube channel. Although he doesn't have an active PGA Tour card, his involvement led to him being suspended by the tour, with an infuriated Mickelson taking to social media to demand an intervention by Donald Trump's Department of Justice. "Here's a question," he began. "Normally when an entity violates independent contract law, they deny that it happened and forces the contractor/individual to prove that it did.
"In this case, the PGA Tour blatantly admits they are illegally banning an independent contractor, so why doesn't they DOJ step in and enforce the law? Why does the individual have to sue to enforcer the law? DOJ do your f****** job!" It was the latest in a long list of grievances Mickelson has aimed at the PGA Tour since his involvement with LIV Golf was first mooted three years ago...
'Greedy' accusation
Mickelson stirred controversy even before the LIV was launched. 'Leftie' openly criticised the PGA Tour with accusations of greed, particularly over the issue of media rights. "There are many issues, but that is one of the biggest," he said in an interview with Golf Digest.
"For me, personally, it's not enough that they are sitting on hundreds of millions of digital moments. They also have access to my shots, access I do not have. They also charge companies to use shots I have hit. And when I did 'The Match' - there have been five of them - the tour forced me to pay them $1million each time.
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| The three-time Masters champ has never been one to mince his words (Image: Getty) |
"For my own media rights. That type of greed is, to me, beyond obnoxious." Adding to his grievances, Mickelson asserted that the Tour controls an estimated "roughly $20billion" (£15bn) in media assets and countless digital memories that, in his opinion, rightfully belong to the players.
The Tour defended itself against Mickelson's remarks, maintaining that the majority of players are satisfied with how the organisation operates. One executive countered Mickelson's assertions to GOLF.com, saying: "I've never seen anybody be really interested in how we generate the money.
"There's some conversation about it now because, you know, Phil's making stuff up that's just not true. But in general, they're happy that there's a lot of money that comes from it."
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| Mickelson was left furious by Wesley Bryan's suspension (Image: Getty) |
Moreover, the Tour emphasises that over half of its approximately $1.5m [£1.13m] yearly revenue is apportioned to the players, aligning with the norms of other professional sports organisations.
Monahan criticism
Mickelson hasn't held back in his criticism of PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan. In November 2023, Mickelson weighed in on rumours that Monahan might be ousted from his position if a deal between the Tour and PIF was struck.
He took to social media to assert that "golf is in this situation entirely because of [Monahan]". He accused him of "losing trust with his players" and stated that "there's no unity or path forward with [Monahan] involved in my opinion as well".
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| Jay Monahan has been slammed by Mickelson (Image: Getty) |
'$1billion peace offer'
Mickelson also disclosed a $1bn [£750m] peace proposal he had offered to the Tour before jumping ship to LIV. He said: "Before I left I brought a $1bn commitment from a current PGA Tour partner to have 8 elevated events and give equity and ownership in these events to the players. JM's quote was: 'I don't believe the league is going to happen so we won't be doing that'. No vote, no discussion."
Apology demand
A year into the existence of LIV, Mickelson called for an apology from the PGA Tour. That followed suggestions in a leaked memo that those who had publicly criticised the PGA Tour would face harsher treatment than other defectors if they performed a U-turn.
Mickelson said: "What a colossal waste of time. Not a single player on LIV wants to play PGA Tour. It would require a public apology and restitution to LIV players for paying millions to Clout media to disparage all of us. A better topic is future sanctions for the many players who now come to LIV."
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| Mickelson was complaining about the PGA Tour even before leaving for LIV (Image: Getty) |
Woods dinner snub
PGA Tour loyalist Tiger Woods reportedly orchestrated a pointed snub to Mickelson by blocking him from attending a private dinner celebrating past champions before the 150th Open Championship at St Andrews in 2022.
According to revelations in Alan Shipnuck's book 'LIV and Let Die', it was claimed by an anonymous source: "He (Woods) talked to a handful of other [past champions] to get their blessing and then went to the R&A and told them, basically, no one wanted Phil there and it would make the night weird and awkward. Whose side were they going to take, Tiger's or Phil's? That's an easy choice."
Talking up LIV
Mickelson continues to be a vocal supporter of LIV Golf. Explaining his standpoint on The Joe Pomp Show earlier this year, Mickelson shared his perspective on why their events are more family-friendly.
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| Tiger Woods blocked Mickelson from attending a private dinner at The Open, it was claimed (Image: PGA TOUR via Getty) |
"You go to a LIV event, you feel different," he said. "Here's why: You have music going when you're out on the course. We don't hear little people saying stuff.
"So you're not as anxious about having your kids be quiet. There's a fan zone like on the course where you can sit down, take a break, grab some drinks. It's like a little hang. You can take a nap.
"They have a kid zone by the clubhouse where, again, you can take a nap, play putt-putt, play games for them and entertain them with a big screen so you can still see what's going on with the golf.
"So when you go there, you feel calm. You feel comfortable. It's like, 'OK, our kids had a great time. I was relaxed. I wasn't worried'. I think that's the number one reason why LIV is going to be successful."
- MARK WHILEY
