Phil Mickelson blasts PGA Tour over ‘illegal’ LIV ban

Phil Mickelson has slammed the PGA Tour after Wesley Bryan was banned for playing in a LIV Golf creator event.

Bryan, a one-time winner on the PGA Tour, lost his card last year but has been able to tee it up three times this year thanks to his conditional status.

And earlier this month, the 35-year-old competed in ‘LIV Duels’ – a YouTube match inspired by the PGA Tour’s Creator Classic.

It, however, landed him in hot water, as reported by Monday Q Info. Bryan told Ryan French that he has been ‘suspended indefinitely’ as a result of featuring in the event.

While he said he has “no regrets”, Mickelson took to social media last night to vent his frustration about the PGA Tour’s decision.

• Four major champions among US Open Qualifying entries

• Padraig Harrington makes huge Rory McIlroy prediction

The six-time major champion insisted the Tour has “illegally” suspended Bryan and called on the Department of Justice to get involved.

“Here’s a question,” he wrote on X. “Normally when an entity violates independent contract law, they deny that it happened and forces the contractor/individual to prove that it did.

“In this case the PGA Tour blatantly admits they are illegally banning an independent contractor so why doesn’t they DOJ step in and enforce the law?

“Why does the individual have to sue to enforce the law? DOJ do your fffing job!”

Despite not having full playing rights, Bryan is a member of the PGA Tour.

Interestingly, those who are not members of the Tour, such as creator Grant Horvat, don’t appear to have been punished by the US circuit.

• Justin Rose “tormented” by Masters play-off defeat

• Jon Rahm shoots 59 to beat LIV Golf rival

Horvat, a former college golfer who has over one million YouTube subscribers, claimed on social media that he has been invited to play in a PGA Tour event.

In a later post, he wrote: “#FreeWesley”.

Meanwhile, the PGA Tour moved to stem the flow of players to LIV Golf in 2023 by introducing a new regulation that comes with a one-year ban.

It said: “Any player who has participated in an unauthorised tournament is ineligible to compete in any event sanctioned by the PGA Tour for a period of one year.”

Bryan was one of six creators who played in ‘LIV Duels’ as each one teamed up with a LIV Golf player at Trump National Doral.

John Turnbull A graduate of the University of Stirling, John joined the bunkered team in 2023 as a Content Producer, with a responsibility for covering all breaking news, tour news, grassroots content and much more besides. A keen golfer, he plays the majority of his golf at Falkirk Tryst Golf Club. Top of his 'bucket list' is a round of Pebble Beach... ideally in the company of Gareth Bale.