Phil Mickelson responds to Rory McIlroy’s LIV Golf U-turn

Phil Mickelson has weighed in on Rory McIlroy’s significant U-turn on LIV Golf.

McIlroy has been a staunch critic of the LIV series, but backtracked in a podcast on Wednesday by admitting he regrets being a “little judgmental” of the high-profile players who joined the Greg Norman-fronted league.

The Northern Irishman told the Stick to Football show that he has “accepted the fact that (LIV) is part of our sport now” and called for all parties to “put their egos aside” to end the divide in men’s professional golf.

And after previously claiming he would retire “if LIV Golf was the last place to play golf on earth”, McIlroy has now suggested he sees a place for the enterprise on a golfing calendar alongside the PGA Tour.

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“I think what LIV has done, it’s exposed the flaws in the system of what golf has, because we’re all supposed to be independent contractors and we can pick and choose what tournaments we want to play,” he said.

“But I think what LIV and the Saudis have exposed is that you’re asking for millions of dollars to sponsor these events, and you’re not able to guarantee to the sponsors that the players are going to show up. I can’t believe the PGA Tour has done so well for so long.”

Mickelson and McIlroy have taken various shots at each other in a long-running feud during the game’s great divide over the past 18 months, but there are now signs of an unlikely truce.

Responding to McIlroy’s claim that LIV “exposed flaws’ on the PGA Tour, Mickelson wrote on X: “This quote and the many others made today by Rory probably weren’t easy to say. Let’s not use this as an opportunity to pile on.

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“Rather, It’s time for me and others to let go of our hostilities and work towards a positive future.”

McIlroy also claimed in his wide-ranging interview that Jon Rahm made a “smart business move” by joining LIV and reiterated his stance that the Spaniard must be eligible to represent Team Europe in the 2025 Ryder Cup.

And Mickelson believes Rahm’s seismic switch has proved a turning point as the PGA Tour and the Saudi Public Investment Fund bankrolling LIV continue to thrash out negotiations over a deal to unite the game.

“Rahm’s signing is turning into a bridge to bring both sides together, as evidenced by the many comments today and a month ago about changing the rules for the Ryder Cup so Jon and others can play, so let’s use it as such,” Mickelson added.

“Until an agreement is reached it will be business as usual for both sides but hopefully without the needless disdain.”