LIV Golf's Phil Mickelson Continues to Poke at the PGA Tour: 'I Want to Make Sure Everyone's Held Accountable'
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Phil Mickelson has taken to Twitter in recent weeks to defend LIV Golf players who are not in the majors and hint at the collusion he believes could be taking place between golf’s governing bodies and the PGA Tour.
He was far more reserved in his words with reporters after finishing the PGA Championship at Oak Hill Country Club, where he shot a final-round 70 in his first appearance at the event since becoming the oldest major champion when he won at Kiawah two years ago.
Mickelson, 52, a six-time major winner, lauded the course and the setup this week, but spent a majority of time getting asked questions about the Ryder Cup, LIV Golf and the ongoing legal skirmishes that include a Department of Justice investigation of the PGA Tour.
"I guess it’s because I know some things that others don’t," Mickelson said, not divulging what those things are or where they specifically apply. "I just want to make sure everybody’s held accountable."
Mickelson tried to stay away from any controversy over the Ryder Cup and whether LIV golfers should be able to participate—although the PGA of America has said that the Americans who remain part of the organization are still eligible.
That would mean players such as Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson and Bryson DeChambeau could possibly be picked by captain Zach Johnson for the team that plays against Europe in September.
"I don’t see the benefit of the Ryder Cup to change from what it has historically been. Which is the U.S.—well it used to be Great Britain & Ireland—versus Europe. I don’t see the benefit of changing that. I don’t see how it’s any concern of the PGA of America what tour we play. That’s just my opinion."
Zach Johnson has remained non-committal about LIV players, but suggested earlier in the week that he’d have difficulty judging them because he doesn’t know the courses they are playing as part of LIV. The Ryder Cup is outside of Rome and the U.S. team has not won overseas in 30 years.
"I think it's too premature, frankly irresponsible, to even have any sort of opinion about that," Johnson said Sunday. “I think given where we are at right now, there's a lot of points out, No. 1. No. 2, you have a bunch of elevated events. Shoot, No. 3, if you go back on history, there's names right now that probably on both tours that we're not even mentioning that could have a chance given what's from us.
“So I haven't even begun to discuss picks with anybody that I trust in my circle, specifically the vice captains. I feel like it's irrelevant to even discuss."
As for his future participation, Mickelson acknowledged that his own captaincy—which seemed a lock at one point for 2025 at Bethpage—is not going to happen. And that he’s good with it.
"I’ve had a lot of great experiences with the Ryder Cup," he said. "I’ve been involved in 13. Played in 12. Vice captain at Whistling Straits. I’ve had a lot of great experiences. Stories. Memories. I’ve had more than my share. So I’m fine with other people having those other opportunities as well."
Mickelson said he would not discuss the DOJ investigation, other than to confirm a recent New York Times report that said he was interviewed.
"I know a lot of stuff that will come out later," he said.
As for LIV Golf, Mickelson preached the long game, that the controversial circuit that is backed by Saudi Arabian funds needs time and patience.
"We’re only a year," he said. "I’m thinking three to five years out where we’ll be. To me it’s just starting. In two more years, that’s when we need to look back and say we are where we want to be. It seems like we’re well on that path."
Mickelson then said that LIV Golf, which has played six events this year and has its seventh this week outside of Washington, D.C., should be viewed as something different that might simply appeal to another audience.
"Golf is kind of a closed shop," he said. Every tour is run by one organization. The Latin American Tour, the Canadian Tour, the Korn Ferry Tour, the PGA Tour, the Champions Tour, the China Tour ... it’s all one entity. We run these traditional golf tournaments like the PGA. I love it. It has a great history. A great tradition.
“But to do something different, golf’s had the same structure for a century? I don’t know. It’s been the same structure. And now (LIV is) a little bit different presentation. And appealing to a little bit younger crowd. You have to be open-minded to give it a try. Maybe it’s something different. Maybe we’ve done it this way for decades and decades. Maybe I should be open to looking at it in a different way."