Phil Mickelson signs up with Saudi-backed LIV Golf tour

07.06.2022 07:48

Phil Mickelson signed on with the Saudi-backed LIV Golf Invitational Series on Monday after months of speculation.

The six-time major winner will make his debut with the tour at this week’s inaugural event outside London.

“Phil Mickelson is unequivocally one of the greatest golfers of this generation,” LIV Golf CEO and commissioner Greg Norman said in a news release.

“His contributions to the sport and connection to fans around the globe cannot be overstated and we are grateful to have him. He strengthens an exciting field for London where we’re proud to launch a new era for golf.”

Mickelson, 51, has not played in a tournament since competing in the Saudi International in February. His last event on the PGA Tour was the Farmers Insurance Open in January.

“I am ready to come back to play the game I love but after 32 years this new path is a fresh start, one that is exciting for me at this stage of my career and is clearly transformative, not just for myself, but ideally for the game and my peers,” Mickelson said in a statement.

Last week, LIV Golf announced 42 of the 48 players who were participating in the LIV Golf International starting on Thursday at the Centurion Club.

Dustin Johnson, the biggest name on that list, was offered $125 million by LIV Golf to join its rival tour, according to a report in The Telegraph.

The sum negotiated for Mickelson was not disclosed, but Tiger Woods turned down an offer in the “high nine digits” to join LIV Golf, Norman told the Washington Post.

Other notable names in this week’s field include Englishmen Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter and Richard Bland, Spaniard Sergio Garcia, Kevin Na, Talor Gooch, Germany’s Martin Kaymer and South Africans Louis Oosthuizen, Charl Schwartzel and Branden Grace.

Garcia, Oosthuizen, Schwartzel and Grace resigned from the PGA Tour to pursue LIV, their manager told media outlets later Monday. They followed Na, who made his resignation announcement Saturday.

Garcia, Oosthuizen and Schwartzel have won one major apiece in their careers. Garcia made his feelings toward the PGA Tour clear during last month’s Wells Fargo Championship, when he was heard on a television feed telling a rules official that he “can’t wait to leave this tour ... just a couple more weeks and I won’t have to deal with you anymore.”

In addition to Mickelson, the remaining five entrants announced Monday were Thailand’s Itthipat Buranatanyarat, India’s Viraj Madappa, Australia’s Travis Smyth and Kevin Yuan and South Africa’s Ian Snyman.

Rickie Fowler denied the rumors he is jumping to the LIV tour -- at least for now -- when he spoke to the Golf Channel last week at the Memorial.

“I’ve been in talks with them for a long time,” Fowler said, per ESPN Radio. “It’s something to definitely look at. At this point, it wasn’t the right move or decision for us, but I’m not saying I’m for sure here or I’m going to go there. I’m going to just kind of leave my options open and see how things play out.”

The PGA Tour did not grant its members a release to play in the event, which will be contested opposite the RBC Canadian Open. Johnson -- who won the Canadian Open in 2018 -- and other members could face punishment for choosing the LIV Golf event without the tour’s permission.

“I am thrilled to begin with LIV Golf and I appreciate everyone involved,” Mickelson said on Monday. “I also intend to play the majors. I fully realize and respect some may disagree with this decision and have strong opinions and I empathize with that. I have a renewed spirit and excitement for the game.”

Mickelson is a 45-time winner on the PGA Tour, including three wins at The Masters (2004, 2006, 2010), two at the PGA Championship (2005, 2021) and The Open Championship in 2013.

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