Phil Mickelson on the majors: ‘What if none of the LIV players played?’

In the heart of golf’s major season, the spotlight shines not only on the pursuit of career-defining triumphs but also on the contentious debate surrounding LIV Golf players’ access to the sport’s most prestigious tournaments.

In a nutshell, LIV Golf players rake in substantial paychecks from three-round, no-cut tournaments. However, this lucrative endeavor comes with a significant drawback: limited avenues to compete in majors. Since LIV isn’t recognized by the Official World Golf Rankings, which determine major tournament invites, players solely committed to the LIV tour find themselves locked out of these pinnacle events. Even Talor Gooch, crowned LIV’s 2023 individual champion, found himself without an invitation to the Masters or any other major championship, sparking vocal frustration. Yet, he did secure a spot at the PGA Championship, albeit through a different route.

One vocal advocate for LIV players’ rights, Phil Mickelson, hasn’t shied away from stirring the pot. In a since-deleted post, Mickelson offered a stark prediction regarding the future of majors, questioning whether the absence of LIV players would be felt. His provocative stance underscores the growing tension between traditional golf institutions and the emerging LIV Golf movement.

Despite occasional fiery rhetoric, LIV Golf has largely shifted focus towards establishing its own identity, leaving the PGA Tour to navigate its own challenges. Nonetheless, Mickelson, a longstanding figure in the sport, continues to tease potential defections to LIV, adding weight to his assertions with Jon Rahm’s recent leap to the alternative circuit. Rahm’s decision, coming on the heels of Mickelson’s cryptic hints, hints at a potential paradigm shift in the golfing landscape.

#FAAFO — LIV Golf star Phil Mickelson has sent a clear message to the powers that be, when it comes to LIV players and their access into majors: “F—k around and find out.”@flushingitgolf | @PhilMickelson pic.twitter.com/kVEL7VR6UN

— NUCLR GOLF (@NUCLRGOLF) May 5, 2024

The looming question remains: will the allure of LIV Golf, with its promise of substantial earnings and autonomy, continue to entice top-tier talent away from traditional circuits? As the saga unfolds, sponsors and television networks may find themselves forced to reckon with the evolving dynamics of professional golf, lest they “F*** around and find out,” as Mickelson bluntly put it.