Phil Mickelson ‘feels so good’ about playing LIV Golf Series and will not resign from PGA Tour | Golf News

Phil Mickelson says he feels “so good” about the balance playing in the LIV Golf Series provides and added he will not resign from the PGA Tour during a tense press conference on Wednesday.

The 51-year-old is ending his self-imposed four-month exile from the sport to compete in this week’s inaugural LIV Golf Invitational Series tournament at Centurion Club.

Mickelson skipped his PGA Championship defence following a backlash over comments he made about the Saudi-backed breakaway tour, and was facing the media for the first since confirming his LIV Golf participation on Monday.

The six-time major winner repeatedly said “I don’t condone human rights violations” when asked about his reasons for competing in the tour, despite calling the Saudi regime “scary” back in February, and stressed LIV Golf can “do a lot of good for the game”.

Addressing his break, Mickelson said: “I’ve had an awesome time, I’ve had a four-month break from the game. It’s given me time to continue some of the work and therapy that I’ve been working on, on some areas I’m deficient in, in my life.

“It’s given me time to reflect on what I want to do going forward, what’s best for me, what’s best for the people I care about. This allows me to be more present and engaged with people I care about.

“That is why, when I think about being a part of LIV Golf, I feel so good about it.”

Mickelson also said he will not speak publicly about PGA “issues” but confirmed he would take part in the US Open next week – “I’m looking forward to it,” he added.

More to follow

What did Mickelson say before taking break?

Back in February, Mickelson apologised for his “reckless” comments about the Saudi-backed breakaway league.

It was revealed Mickelson called the Saudis “scary motherf****** to be involved with” and questioned the country’s human rights record in an interview with Alan Shipnuck for his upcoming book on the 51-year old.

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Golf Channel’s Eamon Lynch says Phil Mickelson is ‘eager to cash his conscience for a cheque’ after announcing he’ll play in the LIV Tour and would probably enjoy the circus if he plays at the US Open next week

Mickelson went on to say the money on offer was a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reshape how the PGA Tour operates”.

He added: “As nice a guy as [PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan] comes across as, unless you have leverage, he won’t do what’s right.’ And the Saudi money has finally given us that leverage. I’m not sure I even want [the Saudi golf league] to succeed, but just the idea of it is allowing us to get things done with the [PGA] Tour.”

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Rich Beem believes there will be mixed opinions on Phil Mickelson’s legacy after confirming his participation in the LIV Golf Invitational Series

The comments were widely criticised by the golf community, with Rory McIlroy calling the six-time major winner’s comments “egotistical and ignorant”.

Mickelson again apologised when confirming his participation on June 6.

“I have made mistakes in my career in some of the things I have said and done. Taking time away and self-reflecting has been very humbling,” he said.

Johnson confirms PGA Tour resignation

Dustin Johnson confirmed he has resigned from the PGA Tour in order to compete in the Saudi-funded LIV Golf Invitational Series.

Speaking alongside fellow major-winners Louis Oosthuizen and Graeme McDowell at a LIV press conference at the Centurion Club on Tuesday, Johnson said he resigned his membership from the PGA Tour, which makes him ineligible for next year’s Ryder Cup.

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Dustin Johnson, Graeme McDowell and Louis Oosthuizen had to field difficult questions at the press conference for the opening LIV tour event

The former world No 1 expressed his excitement for the controversial new format, adding he believes it will be a “true test”.

“Obviously at this time it’s hard to speak on what the consequences will be, but for right now, I’ve resigned my membership from the PGA Tour,” Johnson said. “I’m going to play here for now, and that’s the plan.

“What the consequences are going to be, I can’t comment on how the tour is going to handle it.”

Later on Tuesday, the USGA confirmed that golfers competing in this week’s LIV series opener will be allowed to play in next week’s US Open, providing they had already qualified.

‘We’re not politicians’, says McDowell

The transcript of the opening section of Tuesday’s two press conferences:

Riath Al-Samarrai, Daily Mail: How do you reconcile your decision to be here with Saudi Arabia’s human rights record?

Graeme McDowell: This has been incredibly polarising. The [Jamal] Khashoggi situation, I think we all agree that was reprehensible. No-one’s going to argue that fact – but we’re golfers. Speaking personally, I really feel golf is a force of good in the world. I try to be a role model to kids. I know what the game has taught me. I love using the game of golf as something to help grow around the world and be role models to kids, try to use this game as a force for good. We’re not politicians, we’re professional golfers. If Saudi Arabia want to use the game of golf as a way for them to get to where they want to be, I think we’re proud to help them on that journey.

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Graeme McDowell says the LIV Tour is not designed to divide, hopes ‘we can all get on together’ and that inclusion won’t affect Ryder Cup participation

Rob Harris, Associated Press: The journey you have been told Saudi Arabia is on – how is that helping the women oppressed, the migrant groups having the rights violated, the LGBTQ individuals criminalised, the families of the 81 men executed in March and those being bombed in Yemen?

Graeme McDowell: I wish I had the ability to have that conversation with you. As golfers if we tried to cure geopolitical situations in every country in the world we played golf in, we wouldn’t play a lot of golf. It’s a really hard question to answer. We are here to just focus on the golf and what it does for the role models we are. It’s a really hard question to get into.

‘LIV Golf Series is all about the money, money, money’

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Martin Kaymer admits the extra money he’ll earn playing in the LIV Series helps but insists it’s not the only reason for joining the tour

The LIV Golf Invitational Series is a “rag-tag bunch of struggling players, elder statesmen, journeymen plus a couple of marquee names,” according to Sky Sports’ Jamie Weir.

“After months of speculation, mudslinging, wild promises which were sketchy on the detail, and serious doubts over whether it would even happen at all – here we are, on the eve of a ball finally being struck on the hugely divisive and controversial, Saudi-backed LIV Golf Series.

“This week at the Centurion Club in Hertfordshire, 48 players – split into twelve teams of four – will compete over just 54 holes for a total purse of $25m. The individual winner will pocket $4m of that, with the player finishing 48th and dead last taking home $120,000 for his three days’ work. $5m of the overall $25m pot is set aside for the team element of the tournament.

“The field is a rag-tag bunch of struggling players outside the world’s top 1000, younger pros and amateurs just making their way in the game, elder statesmen of the game whose careers are on a downward trajectory, Asian and DP World Tour journeymen plus a couple of ‘marquee names’, most notably six-time major champion Phil Mickelson, making his return to competitive golf after four months of self-imposed exile.”

Why is the LIV Golf Series so controversial?

Due to the PIF’s links to the Saudi government, with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman serving as chairman, LIV Golf has faced accusations of sports washing.

Norman has adamantly denied such claims, telling Sky Sports in May Saudi Arabia is “changing their culture within their country” and insisting “I do not answer to Saudi Arabia. I do not answer to their government or MBS”.

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Greg Norman told Jamie Weir LIV Golf Investments is independent and will not answer to the Saudi government or Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud

Comments from a Mickelson interview with author Alan Shipnuck, who is writing an unauthorised biography of the six-time major winner, came to light in February, in which the 51-year-old questioned Saudi Arabia’s human rights record and called the regime “scary”.

Mickelson has since apologised for his “reckless” comments.

What is the format?

All 48 players compete against each other in a traditional stroke play format, with the lowest 54-hole total from the no-cut event being the winner, while a draft will help allocate players into the team format.

Each team will have a LIV appointed team captain who will select their three open team positions via a snake draft format, similar to those used on the Ladies European Tour in the Aramco Team Series.

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Former professional golfer Wayne Riley believes the LIV Golf tour is bad for the sport but doesn’t blame players for joining the tour

For the first two rounds, the best two stroke play scores will count for each team. For the third and final round, the best three scores will count, with the lowest overall team score after 54 holes being named the team winner.

The format changes in the Team Championship, which is a seeded four-day, four-round, match play knock-out tournament. The top four seeds automatically receive a bye through the first round, with the remaining eight teams playing against each other to see who reaches the quarter-finals.

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