Phil Mickelson Reveals the Three Game-Changing Aspects LIV Golf Stars Have That PGA Tour Rivals Covet

Phil Mickelson Reveals the Three Game-Changing Aspects LIV Golf Stars Have That PGA Tour Rivals Covet

Phil Mickelson, who dramatically cut ties with the PGA Tour to join LIV Golf over two years ago, has recently shared his insights on how the landscape of professional golf has evolved. The six-time major winner highlighted three key elements of LIV Golf that PGA Tour players are eager to emulate.

 

Mickelson was the first major name to align himself with the Saudi-backed league, a move driven by significant frustrations with the PGA Tour, particularly around media rights. In a candid interview with Golf Digest in February 2022, Mickelson expressed his discontent:

 

“It’s not public knowledge, all that goes on. But the players don’t have access to their own media. If the Tour wanted to end any threat, they could just hand back the media rights to the players. There are many issues but that is one of the biggest. For me personally, it’s not enough that they are sitting on hundreds of millions of digital moments. They also have access to my shots, access I do not have. They also charge companies to use shots I have hit.

 

And when I did ‘The Match’ — there have been five of them — the tour forced me to pay them $1 million each time. For my own media rights. That type of greed is, to me, beyond obnoxious.”

 

These comments marked the end of Mickelson’s 30-year tenure with the PGA Tour, but also the beginning of a transformative period in professional golf.

 

Fast forward two years, and the dynamics have shifted. The PGA Tour is now in talks with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia (PIF) to resolve their differences with LIV Golf. Reflecting on these changes, Mickelson pinpointed the advantages that have emerged from the rise of LIV Golf, which players on both sides of the divide are starting to enjoy.

 

Speaking to Bloomberg, Mickelson emphasized the competitive edge of LIV Golf: “We have elevated events every week out here on LIV,” he said. He further highlighted two more crucial benefits: “We have equity, and we have the ability to use our social media platforms however we want to promote the game. This is starting to change now, and is changing on the PGA Tour.”

 

Mickelson’s observations seem validated by recent developments. In response to the lucrative allure of LIV Golf, the PGA Tour has introduced ‘Signature Events’ with prize purses matching the £15.8 million ($20 million) stakes of LIV tournaments.

The shift in professional golf is undeniable, and as the PGA Tour adapts, it’s clear that Mickelson’s bold move has set off a chain reaction, reshaping the future of the sport.