Phil Mickelson will miss the cut at the U.S. Open again this week in North Carolina. (Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
Ahead of LIV Golf’s event in Miami this week, Phil Mickelson touched on the current state of affairs in professional golf.
Earlier this year, PGA Tour star Rory McIlroy called for a unified, global tour. He envisions a circuit where the top 80 players play alongside each other around the world.
McIlroy echoed that sentiment earlier this week, noting that golf’s current state of affairs is unsustainable.
LIV Golf’s Phil Mickelson agreed while adding that golf is currently in a “disruption phase.”
“We are in a transitional state where we now have competition, and that’s leading to a lot of disruption and change, but also, the end product is going to make golf more global where the best players travel more,” Mickelson said ahead of this week’s LIV Golf event at Trump National Doral.
“But right now, we are in the disruption phase, so we are in the middle of the process, and when it’s all said and done, it’s going to be a lot brighter. But while we go through it, it’s challenging. But we’ll get there.”
For the past two years, the rise of LIV Golf has divided professional golf, separating the best players in the world on competing circuits. This divide came to an apex when the Saudi-backed circuit paid Jon Rahm north of $400 million in December to join LIV.
“I think I agree with that statement. Every time I get asked a question like this, I say the same thing,” Rahm added, sitting alongside Phil Mickelson.
“I think there’s room for both. It’s as simple as that. I think we have the opportunity to end up with an even better product for the spectators and fans of the game. A little bit more variety doesn’t really hurt anybody. Properly done, we can end up with a much better product that can take golf to the next level worldwide, and I’m hoping that’s what ends up happening.”
How professional golf will look in the future remains to be seen.
