Phil Mickelson Confident in LIV Golf’s Future After Agreement With PGA Tour

One of the faces of LIV Golf sits a little taller in his chair now, when asked about the recent agreement with the PGA Tour and DP World Tour.

SOTOGRANDE, Spain — Phil Mickelson sits a little taller in his chair when asked about LIV Golf and the decision by the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia and the DP World and PGA Tours to come to an agreement.

Afterall, the 53-year-old knows he played a large part in LIV happening when he decided to make the leap last spring after years of complaining about the Tour operations and finances.

At times, the tall left hander seemed quixotical in his thinking about the Tour, and like Don Quixote, he appeared to be swinging at windmills.

But on June 6, known as D-Day for the World War II history buffs, Mickelson got what he believes was great news.

“I would say I felt appreciation that we got to this point where we're working together because it makes me confident with where the game of golf is headed in the future,” Mickelson said when asked if he felt vindicated. “We felt like it was going to be about two years roughly before we got to that point. It took a year and a half or six months quicker than I thought it would be.”

Like every other player on the grounds this week at Valderrama, Mickelson is very optimistic about the future of the game of professional golf and seems confident that LIV Golf will be part of its future.

“I think that right now we have basically an agreement to have an agreement, and everything over the last couple of years that we've been told by Greg and everybody on LIV has come to fruition, so we have a lot of confidence in what they have been saying to us because everything has been happening,” Mickelson said. “We don't really feel the need to publicly posture our position. There's really no need for us to talk about things publicly but to just let it play out.”

Excited about playing this week and about the future of LIV, Mickelson’s team, the HyFlyers, is introducing a cape for younger fans to buy in the merchandise tent.

Mickelson called the sale of capes aspirational and said they are not for everybody, but hopes to see little kids running around the golf course in capes dreaming of being a HyFlyer in 10, 15 or 20 years from now.

Oddly, Mickelson’s only comments about LIV don’t reflect a person that is taking a victory lap, but he instead seems reserved and isn’t trying to pick a fight.

“I think actions are a little bit stronger than words,” Mickelson said. “I think if you just look at what LIV is doing and what we're doing, I think that is more of a statement.”

The capes seem to be a signal that Mickelson believes LIV is on solid footing going forward. Otherwise, why sell aspirational capes?

Add to Mickelson’s positive attitude the fact that Real Club Valderrama has signed a five-year deal to host a LIV event and it’s understandable that Mickelson sits a little taller now.