Phil Mickelson jokingly urges PGA Tour star to join his LIV Golf team

Phil Mickleson has urged Hideki Matsuyama to join his HyFlyers team at LIV Golf as he made light of the former Masters champion using a budget airline.

Matsuyama finished T16 at the Memorial Tournament on Sunday and banked over $275,000 for his strong finish at Muirfield Village.

An image emerged later on Twitter from an account named “LIV Golf enthusiast” appearing to show Matsuyama boarding a flight with Spirit Airlines, a US company known for its low fares.

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The account’s post joked that Matsuyama was having regrets after turning down a mega offer to ditch the PGA Tour for the Saudi-backed series.

And six-time major winner Mickelson, perhaps the most high-profile name on the LIV circuit, soon chimed in with his own thoughts on the Japanese star’s travel arrangements.

“This isn’t how the HYFLYERS FLY,” Mickelson tweeted. “Hideki should come fly with us.”

Mickelson’s HyFlyers GC team currently includes Brendan Steele, Cameron Tringale and James Piot and is placed 10th out of 12 teams midway through the breakaway league’s second season.

This isn’t how the HYFLYERS FLY. Hideki should come fly with us.

— Phil Mickelson (@PhilMickelson) June 5, 2023

The signing of Matsuyama’s calibre would undoubtedly prove a serious coup not just for Mickelson’s side but for the whole LIV enterprise.

He became the first Japanese player to win a major championship with his victory at Augusta National in 2021 and would likely expose the fledging series to new markets.

But Matsuayama has already reportedly rejected eye-watering sums to jump ship for LIV and Mickelson’s comment appeared very much tongue-in-cheek.

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Matsuyama committed to the PGA Tour last October after a summer of strong rumours that suggested he was destined to join the Greg Norman-fronted tour.

Mickelson and Matsuyama will both tee it up in a star-studded field for the US Open next week.

The third major of the year will take place at the Los Angeles Country Club from June 15-18.

Ben Parsons joined bunkered as a Content Producer in 2023 and is the man to come to for all of the latest news, across both the professional and amateur games. Formerly of The Mirror and Press Association, he is a member at Halifax Golf Club and is a long-suffering fan of both Manchester United and the Wales rugby team.