Jon Rahm and Phil Mickelson have offered their thoughts on Rory McIlroy’s latest comments about the PGA Tour and LIV Golf schism.
Phil Mickelson laughed before letting Jon Rahm handle a reporter’s question about Rory McIlroy’s latest comments.
McIlroy suggested before teeing it up at the Valero Texas Open the divide at the top of the men’s game cannot continue.
The Northern Irishman pointed to the fact that viewing figures are down, suggesting golf fans are now ‘fatigued’ with the drama.
Mickelson and McIlroy have a history of trading insults since LIV Golf came into the picture in June 2022.
At the height of their ‘feud’, Mickelson suggested no LIV team would want McIlroy. “They’d have to deal with all his BS,” he said.
For his part, McIlroy labelled Mickelson’s infamous ‘obnoxious greed’ comments as ‘selfish, egotisitical and ignorant’.
He was later filmed saying ‘f— you, Phil!’ as he received a massage before the 2022 Tour Championship.
Fast-forward to April 2024 and McIlroy’s attitude towards LIV has relaxed significantly.
Mickelson has welcomed the change of heart.
“It’s time for me and others to let go of our hostilities and work towards a positive future,” Mickelson said when McIlroy conceded at the turn of the year he was far too judgemental of the golfers who joined LIV.
That being said, Lefty decided to let the aforementioned Rahm have the mic when he was asked about McIlroy’s latest thoughts before LIV Golf Miami.
A reporter asked Mickelson and Rahm: “Rory yesterday said he doesn’t believe golf in its current state is sustainable. Do you agree with him, and do you think that the circuits need to be reunited?”
Mickelson paused then turned to Rahm: “Go ahead, Jon”.
Rahm agreed with McIlroy and explained: “Every time I get asked a question like this, I say the same thing. 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 the fans of the game, a little bit more variety doesn’t really hurt anybody.
“So I think — I think 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.”
Mickelson said ultimately he does not know how the saga will unfold.
“I’m putting my trust in Yasir,” Mickelson said in reference to LIV’s mastermind Yasir Al-Rumayyan.
He added: “But at some point when it gets ironed out, I think it’s going to be in a much better place where we bring the best players from the world, and it’s going to open up more opportunities for manufacturing, course design, for players in different parts of the world to be inspired and enter the game. I think it’s going to be in a much better place.
“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.
Watch the exchange here:
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