Phil Mickelson tears into PGA Tour chief over LIV Golf feud

Phil Mickelson has agreed with calls for Jay Monahan to walk, blaming the current state of flux in golf “entirely” on the under-fire PGA Tour commissioner. 

Monahan stunned his circuit’s players by announcing a shock framework agreement with the Saudi Public Investment Fund that bankrolls the LIV Golf League.

The commissioner has been fiercely scrutinised for his handling of the top-secret negotiations with PIF and LIV, having previously been an outspoken opponent of the Saudi emergence into the sport.

And there growing doubt over whether a deal unifying the PGA and DP World Tours and PIF will be ratified before a self-imposed December 31 deadline.

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Mickelson, who has led the LIV cause ever since the enterprise’s inception, has now fired shots at Monahan, replying to rumours that the 53-year-old could soon be sacked.

“In addition to strong arming LIV players, losing trust with his players, and all credibility with his staff, golf is in this situation entirely because of him,” Mickelson said. “There’s no unity or path forward with him involved in my opinion as well.”

Monahan continues to fight to regain trust from his own playing membership as the Tour attempts to settle an agreement that will see the warring factions come together as one for-profit entity.

Tiger Woods, who was appointed onto the PGA Tour’s Policy Board in response to the anger caused by Monahan’s clandestine deal, was asked about his commissioner ahead of his competitive return at the Hero World Challenge.

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“I think Jay [Monahan] has been a part of the direction, he understands what happened prior to that can’t happen again and won’t happen again,” Woods declared.

“That was part of why I came on to the board is I did have faith in Jay and in what he could do going forward and what can’t happen again.”

Monahan, meanwhile, is still confident a deal with PIF can be completed.

“When this gets finalised, the PGA Tour’s going to be in a position where the athletes are owners in their sport,” he said, speaking at a New York Times Dealbook conference.

“You’ve got not only the PIF, but you’ve likely got another co-investor with significant experience in business, in sport and brand, that’s going to help take the PGA Tour to another level and help us take share from other sports.”