“They’re scary motherf*****s to get involved with,” remember Phil Mickelson’s controversial statement on Saudi Arabia when Greg Norman-led LIV Golf was looming large? The league is in its third season, and Tiger Woods’ biggest on-course rival is still happily swinging his club in the 54-hole tournaments. Despite having an almost three-decade-long career with the PGA Tour, the six-time major winner’s decision to join the breakaway series had a serious motive.
Back in February 2022, Alan Shipnuck published an excerpt from his then-upcoming book, “Phil: The Rip-Roaring(and Unauthorized!) Biography of Golf’s Most Colorful Superstar” on the Fire Pit Collective. It had Mickelson’s statement from an interview explaining his motive behind the talks to switch to LIV Golf.
Phil Mickelson Called His LIV Golf Switch “Opportunity To Reshape” The PGA Tour
Soon after the six-time major winner joined the Saudi-backed league, everyone wanted to know the motive behind his unexpected move. In Alan Shipnuck’s excerpt, his statement revealed that he wished to see the PGA Tour make changes in its working.
We know they killed [Washington Post reporter and U.S. resident Jamal] Khashoggi and have a horrible record on human rights. They execute people over there for being gay. Knowing all of this, why would I even consider it? Because this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reshape how the PGA Tour operates,” Mickelson said.
They’ve [the PGA Tour] been able to get by with manipulative, coercive, strong-arm tactics because we, the players, had no recourse. 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 SGL] to succeed, but just the idea of it is allowing us to get things done with the [PGA] Tour.
After multiple star players decided to move to LIV Golf, the PGA Tour had to change its system. They introduced elevated events (or signature events) with bigger prize purses. Also, on June 6, 2023, they announced a potential merger deal with the PIF in hopes of unifying the game of golf. Although they are still trying to reach an agreement, if it happens, it will be a win for Phil Mickelson!
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