Tag: Phil Mickelson

Categories
LIV Tour

LIV Golf Update: “Innovative” Team Championship Modus & First Round Pairings

The first round matches of the LIV Golf Team Championship with Martin Kaymer. (Photo: Getty/ Twitter @livgolfinv)
The first round matches of the LIV Golf Team Championship with Martin Kaymer. (Photo: Getty/ Twitter @livgolfinv)

A total of eight events are on the schedule for the new LIV Golf Invitational Series this year. The last event in Miami will be a Team Championship with prize money of 50 million US dollars. The league led by Greg Norman has announced the pairings for the final tournament. There is also a short explanation of the format, which brings some innovations.

A new team format will be played with a combination of stroke play and match play. The event at the Trump National Doral Miami will of course also be held over three days from 28 to 30 October and will include a knockout stage from quarter-finals to finals. In the first round Martin Kaymer and his “Cleeks” will meet Joaquin Niemann and Team “Torque”. Dustin Johnson is granted a rest and will only start the Team Championship on Saturday with the “4 Aces”.

LIV Golf Team Championship in knockout stage

On the first day, the quarter finals will be played. In this round, the top four teams of the regular season will get a bye and move directly into the semi-finals. The remaining teams (places 5 to 12) will play each other in head-to-head matches. The pairings will not be determined by a seeded list (5th against 12th, 6th against 11th, etc.), as is often the case, but the best teams will be allowed to choose their opponents.

From the teams of four, the two team captains compete against each other in match play. In addition, another individual match as well as a classic foursome is played by the team mates. All matches are played until a winner is decided, so there are no draws. One point is awarded for each victory, so two points are needed to win. The winning teams then advance to the semi-finals, which are played in the same mode.

Final in stroke play

The final day of the Team Championship, however, is different. The four winners of the semi-finals will tee off in a stroke play format. In contrast to the previous events, the performances of all players will be included in the team ranking and thus decide the outcome of the tournament. The 16 golfers play in groups of two, with the captains teeing off together. The team with the lowest overall score will ultimately become the LIV Golf Invitational Series Team Champion.

During the final tournament, LIV Golf stays true to its spirit. The event will of course be played over three days and in a shotgun start.

DJ has a bye

Currently (as of 26.10.2022), the “4 Aces” around Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed, Talor Gooch and Pat Perez clearly lead the team ranking after four victories in a row, as well as another three top-6 finishes and can redeem their bye in the quarter-finals of the Miami event. Behind them follow the “Crushers”, the “Fireballs” start in 3rd place in Miami. Louis Oosthuizen and the “Stingers” secure the last place for a safe entry into the semi-finals.

Martin Kaymer as captain of the “Cleeks” is currently ranked tenth among the teams. Bernd Wiesberger is part of the “Hy Flyers” with captain Phil Mickelson, who currently hold 8th place in the team standings. Based on the results of the first seven events, the teams received staggered points (32 points for the winner, 0 points for places 9 to 12).

“The Invitational Series finale, played at the fan-favorite Blue Monster at Doral, is befitting our game-changing model that delivers an innovative, one-of-a-kind experience for players and fans,” said Greg Norman, CEO of LIV Golf, on the announcement of the format. “I’m looking forward to this monumental event that will harness the beloved traits of team golf and head-to-head rivalries in a historic setting.”

The first pairings are fixed

In the quarter-finals, places 5 to 12 will have to play each other first. Martin Kaymer (Cleeks) will face Joaquin Niemann (Torque) on Friday, Ian Poulter (Majesticks) will play Kevin Na (Iron Heads). It will be exciting in the duel of the giants, Phil “Lefty” Mickelson (HyFlyers) will meet the “Golfer of the Year” Cameron Smith (Punch) in this first round. Brooks Koepka (Smash) faces a challenge in the form of Harold Varner III (Niblicks) in the quarter-finals.

In addition to the “captain’s matches”, the other team members will also go round. In a classic foursome, for example, Bernd Wiesberger and Cameron Tringale will compete for Mickelson’s team “Hy Flyers” against Wade Ormsby and Matt Jones. Matthew Wolff represents the HyFlyers in the second singles against Marc Leishman from team “Punch”.

All quarterfinals match-ups

  • HyFlyers vs Punch
  • Torque vs Cleeks
  • Majesticks vs Iron Heads
  • Smash vs Niblicks
Categories
LIV Tour

Phil Mickelson: “I’m ready to come back”

Phil Mickelson reports back after a lengthy layoff. (Photo: Getty)
Phil Mickelson reports back after a lengthy layoff. (Photo: Getty)

On February 22, Phil Mickelson spoke out on Twitter and announced a break from professional golf. Since then, he hasn’t played an official tournament and took time out with his family to reflect on his critical statements towards the PGA Tour. After much speculation about when Mickelson would finally return to the big stage, there is now certainty: the American will make his comeback at the opening event of the LIV Golf Invitational Series in London.

Phil Mickelson speaks of a “fresh start”

These were certainly not pleasant times for Phil Mickelson, who had to take some criticism after his statements about the PGA Tour. So it’s no wonder that he needed time for himself in recent months and, according to his own statements, was also undergoing therapy. However, it seems that exactly this has helped him, because in a statement on his Twitter account, the 51-year-old confirms that he now feels “healthy and much calmer”. He also apologized again to his fans for his lapses, but is aware that he still has a long way to go.

However, a fresh start from a sporting perspective will come sooner than some might have thought: “I’m ready to return to play the game I love, but after 32 years, this path is a fresh start for me” By fresh start, Mickelson is referring to the controversial LIV Golf Invitational Series, confirming in his statement, “I’m very excited to be starting with LIV Golf.”

Fans criticize his decision

The first event of Greg Norman’s newly founded series will start on June 9 at the Centurion Club in London. In addition to Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson and Martin Kaymer will also be among the participants. Although Mickelson has already apologized in advance to his fans for this move, many criticize him for his decision. “I fully realize and respect that some disagree with this decision and have strong opinions, and I understand that” Mickelson wrote on Twitter.

Fans accuse him of being money-hungry and also vent their displeasure on social media:

According to speculation, Mickelson has signed a contract that is expected to pay him around $200 million. However, there is no official confirmation of this.

Tiger Woods rejects immoral offer

In addition to Phil Mickelson, Greg Norman apparently also wanted to poach Tiger Woods from the PGA Tour for his newly founded league. In an interview with the Washington Post, the Australian confirmed that Woods had been made an “incredibly high offer. However, the 15-time major winner declined. Just how enormous the offer really was becomes clear when Norman goes into more detail about the figures: “We’re talking about a high nine-figure sum here.” How high the sum really was will probably remain a secret. However, it is not unlikely that it went in the direction of $1 billion. By way of comparison, during his time as a professional athlete, Tiger Woods earned around $121 million on the world’s golf courses.

Categories
LIV Tour

LIV Golf: Martin Kaymer and Dustin Johnson in the field for first event

Martin Kaymer and Dustin Johnson will play in the LIV Golf Invitational Series. (Photo: Getty)
Martin Kaymer and Dustin Johnson will play in the LIV Golf Invitational Series. (Photo: Getty)

Speculation has been rife for a long time, but now the LIV Golf Invitational Series has announced the field for next week’s event at London’s Centurion Club. 42 of 48 players have already been selected for the three-round tournament, with a few spots still open. It was announced a few weeks ago that Martin Kaymer also wants to play in the team event, which is endowed with 25 million dollars. Besides the German Major winner, Bernd Wiesberger will also take part in the rival event to the PGA and DP World Tour. Surprisingly, Dustin Johnson has also changed his mind and is now the main mover of the event in the UK’s capital.

“Too compelling to pass up”

“Dustin has been contemplating the opportunity off-and-on for the past couple of years,” Johnson’s manager, David Winkle with Hambric Sports, said in a statement (Golf Channel). It was only in February that Dustin Johnson became one of many stars to declare his allegiance to the PGA Tour via a statement. “Ultimately, he decided it was in his and his family’s best interest to pursue it. Dustin has never had any issue with the PGA Tour and is grateful for all it has given him, but in the end, felt this was too compelling to pass up.” So the new competition series, financed by Saudi Arabian money, has succeeded after all in landing a real top-class player in the form of the world number 13 and two-time major winner.

Martin Kaymer in the mix, question about Mickelson

Moreover, the major winners and former world number one announced by Greg Norman can be found in the field of participants. As expected, Martin Kaymer will tee off at the Centurion Club alongside Johnson. In addition, there are names like Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia, Louis Oosthuizen and Ian Poulter. Austrian Bernd Wiesberger will also take part in the opening event of the LIV Golf Invitational Series, as will other players from the DP World Tour, and will compete for the winner’s cheque of four million dollars (!).

Phil Mickelson, who was also linked to the new Saudi league, discarded himself with unspeakable statements with the PGA Tour and subsequently took time off, is incidentally not on the list published on Tuesday night. The six-time major winner, who also cancelled his title defence at the 2022 PGA Championship, is therefore unlikely to end his golfing break – as of now. However, only 42 of 48 starters have been announced. Five places are still to be left open for qualifiers from the Asian Tour, one place would then still be free. Jason Kokrak, who had openly flirted with the change, is also missing from the list.

LIV Golf Invitational Series criticised

The tournament series led by Greg Norman has been criticised because it is fed with money from the Public Investment Fund, which is largely in Saudi Arabian hands. The government of the state is accused of numerous human rights violations, which are supposed to be whitewashed with so-called “sports washing”. In the eight-tournament series, 48 players in twelve teams will compete against each other. Since there is no cut, even the last player will still receive a guaranteed fat cash prize. PGA Tour and DP World Tour had reacted to the requests of their players to be allowed to participate in the new competitive tour with tough rejections. It remains to be seen what the consequences will be for participation in the events of the LIV Golf Invitational Series.

The field of participants for the opening event

Oliver Bekker
Richard Bland
Laurie Canter
Ratchanon Chantananuwat (Amateur)
Hennie Du Plessis
Oliver Fisher
Sergio Garcia
Talor Gooch
Branden Grace
Justin Harding
Sam Horsfield
Dustin Johnson
Matt Jones
Sadom Kaewkanjana
Martin Kaymer
Phachara Khongwatmai
Sihwan Kim
Ryosuke Kinoshita
Chase Koepka
Jinichiro Kozuma
Pablo Larrazabal
Graeme McDowell
Jediah Morgan
Kevin Na
Shaun Norris
Andy Ogletree
Louis Oosthuizen
Wade Ormsby
Adrian Otaegui
Turk Pettit
James Piot (Amateur)
Ian Poulter
David Puig (Amateur)
JC Ritchie
Charl Schwartzel
Hudson Swafford
Hideto Tanihara
Peter Uihlein
Scott Vincent
Lee Westwood
Bernd Wiesberger
Blake Windred

Categories
Panorama

PGA Championship 2022 without defending champion Phil Mickelson

The 2022 PGA Championship will take place without defending champion Phil Mickelson. (Photo: Getty)
The 2022 PGA Championship will take place without defending champion Phil Mickelson. (Photo: Getty)

Phil Mickelson announced a few months ago that he would take a break and retire from the public eye. This break already extended over the 2022 Masters, in which he did not participate for the first time in 28 years. The next major is coming up next week: the 2022 PGA Championship. For a long time, it was unclear whether Mickelson would end his hiatus to defend his title at the PGA Championship. Last year, he became the oldest Major winner ever here. Now there is an answer.

PGA Championship: Statement of the PGA of America

On Twitter, the PGA Championship posted the following statement: “We have just been informed that Phil Mickelson has withdrawn his participation in the PGA Championship. Phil is the defending champion and currently eligible to become a lifetime PGA member, and we would have welcomed him to participate. We wish Phil and Amy [ed. note: Phil’s wife] the very best and look forward to his return to golf.”

The reason for Mickelson’s hiatus was his involvement in heated controversies between the PGA Tour and the LIV Golf Invitational Series created by Greg Norman. In a lengthy statement about his words and actions, Mickelson announced in February 2022, “It was reckless, I offended people, and I am deeply sorry for my choice of words. I’m beyond disappointed and will do everything I can to self-reflect and learn from this.”

Will Phil Mickelson be competing in London?

The first event of the eight-event LIV Golf Invitational Series will be held in London in June. Which golf stars will be part of the starting field has not yet been announced. While a majority of the players have spoken out against participating on the competing tour, a few days ago some players asked for permission from the PGA Tour to participate in the first event of the LIV Golf Invitational Series: Phil Mickelson was one of those players, along with Lee Westwood and Sergio Garcia. The PGA Tour rejected the request and threatened with sanctions. Whether Phil Mickelson’s cancellation of the PGA Championship has anything to do with his participation in the controversial “Saudi League” is unclear so far. In the coming weeks, Greg Norman wants to announce the field of participants.

Categories
Uncategorized

PGA Tour: PGA chief in talks with Phil Mickelson

phil mickelson pga championship
If Phil Mickelson start at the PGA Championship is yet to be decided (foto: Getty)

Phil Mickelson and the PGA Tour are in a difficult situation. The American has entered both the PGA Championship to defend his title and the first event of the LIV Golf Invitational Series. In addition, the conflict with the Tour has not yet been finally clarified and pronounced. In a podcast, the head of the PGA of America, which is hosting the second major, said he is in talks with Phil Mickelson. It is not yet clear whether Mickelson will play in the PGA Championship.

Talks have been going on for weeks

Seth Waugh, the head of the PGA, speaking to the podcast, said that there have been talks with Mickelson since the fall and also recently. If Waugh has his way, it’s not yet clear which of the tournaments Mickelson will choose. “Mickelson is trying to figure out when the right time is for him,” adding, “I think the game is also trying to figure out the right time for him. How long is long enough? And is he mentally and physically ready for it?”

The marketing company Sportfive is also not so sure whether the 51-year-old will even compete in one of the two tournaments. According to their information, Mickelson is leaving all his options open. However, the fact that Mickelson was recently seen on the golf course in California again suggests that he will soon be returning to professional golf. Seth Waugh also sees things positively but finds the whole situation extremely unfortunate: “The whole thing (Mickelson’s incident) is just sad,” adding, “It’s sad for Phil, it’s sad for the game. He’s been great for the game for a long time and I believe in making amends and I believe he can do it”

Categories
PGA Tour

Phil Mickelson signs up for PGA Championship and Saudi opener

Phil Mickelson is keeping all his options open. (Photo: Getty)
Phil Mickelson is keeping all his options open. (Photo: Getty)

The first tournament of the Saudi-backed LIV Golf Invitational Series kicks off in less than a month, and it will feature 15 golfers from the top 100 in the world rankings. This was reported by Sport Illustrated, citing a statement from LIV Golf. Among the 15 players is probably Phil Mickelson, who despite increased criticism in recent months wants to keep open the chance to participate in the first event in London. But that’s not the end of Mickelson’s return to tournament golf. The defending PGA Championship champion would like to start his comeback to the PGA Tour at this very tournament.

Phil Mickelson’s return to the tournament stage

Phil Mickelson is planning his return to the PGA Tour after withdrawing from all upcoming tournament starts for the time being in February as a result of heavy criticism. His proximity to the LIV Golf Invitational Series (formerly the Saudi Golf League) repeatedly brought him into the negative media spotlight last year, but now he wants to make his comeback and will start at the PGA Championship. Mickelson won the second major of the golf season last year. But his start at Southern Hills Country Club is not enough for Mickelson. At the same time, he applied for a permit to play in the first Saudi League tournament in June. A statement from his agency said, “We have also applied on his behalf for clearance to play in the inaugural LIV Golf Invitational in London from June 9-11. This request meets the April 25 deadline set by the PGA Tour to participate in a competitive Tour event.” It is unclear at this time whether he will take advantage of this release, but he wants to keep all options open, the statement added.

15 players from the top 100 will compete in London

According to Sports Illustrated, 14 other players from the top 100 in the world rankings are taking advantage of the 30-day period before the start of the tournament. The names of those players remain non-public and are subject to confidentiality agreements, according to a spokesperson for the LIV Golf Invitational Series. So far, about 70 players have registered for the event, but with a planned field of 48 players, not all professionals will be able to compete. It remains to be seen how and according to which criteria the field of participants will finally be put together. It also remains to be seen how the PGA Tour will handle future Saudi Tour events on American soil. At this point in time, the PGA Tour does not want to issue any permits for participation in these events. This would affect at least two of the eight tournaments, with the tournament in Portland in early July, as well as other events at Trump National Golf Club and the scheduled team finale at Trump National Doral in Miami in late October.

Daly pleads for merger of tours

John Daly sees a simple solution to the eternal back-and-forth between LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman and PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan. Daly is calling for the Saudi Tour and the PGA Tour to merge. To him, he says it’s the easy solution and also a great opportunity for golf. “I mean, you want to keep golf going and keep it strong, and the foundation of the European Tour and the foundation of the Asian Tour and the Australian Tour and all the tours and our tour the players have built through a lot of great sponsors that we’ve had. I just think it would be really good if they could work together instead of competing against each other.” He himself has not been offered a starting spot on the new tour, but he likes the concept and sees a great opportunity in the increase in prize money.

Categories
PGA Tour

The return is near: Phil Mickelson about to make a comeback at the US Open 2022?

Could be back on the golf course at the US Open in June: Phil Mickelson (Photo: Getty)
Could be back on the golf course at the US Open in June: Phil Mickelson (Photo: Getty)

It was quiet around the six-time major winner for a long time. Phil Mickelson played his last official tournament at the end of January, when he failed to make the cut at the Farmers Insurance Open. After his clear criticism of the PGA Tour, the American subsequently apologized for his statements and announced a break from golf. Since then, little has been heard from “Lefty”. Now, however, the bang for the buck: Phil Mickelson could make his return at the US Open in June.

List of contenders for the US Open raises hopes for Mickelson comeback

Many had probably expected a return of Phil Mickelson at the Masters. However, this assumption did not materialize and so the American missed the prestigious tournament at Augusta National Golf Club for the first time in 28 years and with it Scottie Scheffler’s triumph. In the run-up to the tournament, there were also rumors as to whether Mickelson had been disinvited or whether the American had voluntarily decided not to take part. The latter was confirmed afterwards.

Now, however, there seems to be some movement in his comeback plans, even if the information about this caused a little confusion. An article from golfmonthly.com reports about the list of applicants for the US Open on the homepage of the United States Golf Association. Phil Mickelson was also mentioned on this list. In the meantime, the aforementioned USGA website is no longer accessible. Accordingly, this is not yet a firm commitment, but there are many indications that Mickelson could participate in a tournament again in June.

The US Open takes place from June 16 to 19 at the Country Club in Brookline in the US state of Massachusetts and is the second oldest of the four Major tournaments. Last year, Jon Rahm became the first Spaniard to win the tournament there.

It remains to be seen who will have the best cards this year. Phil Mickelson will probably also be there. The American is only one victory away from a career Grand Slam at the US Open, as he has already won the other three majors. All the more reason for Mickelson to return to the golf course.

PGA Championship not yet an issue for Mickelson

Before the US Open takes place in June, the PGA Championship is still on the agenda for May. From May 19 to 22, the golfing elite will meet at Southern Hills Country Club for the second major of the year. It is still unclear whether Phil Mickelson will be taking part, as the American has neither confirmed nor cancelled his participation. Last year he won the title with a par on hole 18, but whether he can defend it this year is still questionable.

Categories
PGA Tour

Masters 2022: Phil Mickelson absent for the first time since 1994

Phil Mickelson will not play the Masters Tournament 2022 (foto: Getty)
Phil Mickelson will not play the Masters Tournament 2022 (foto: Getty)

Phil Mickelson will not participate in the Masters Tournament in 2022. The official list of registered professionals was updated on the Masters site on Monday after the Valspar Championship and Mickelson is no longer listed as an active player at the tournament, according to the list. Instead, the 51-year-old is now listed among the former winners of the Masters who will not compete in the 2022 edition.

No Masters participation due to sabbatical

Mickelson is therefore still committed to taking a longer break from the golfing circus. After the upheavals on the PGA Tour, the American reacted by saying that he had a lot to think about and needed some time away from active golf. In February, the 2021 PGA champion faced fierce headwind, both from the Tour and from the ranks of the players. Mickelson had made several memorable statements in an interview about the PGA Tour, its rights for players and about his push of the new Saudi League. As a result, the pressure on him became so great that he decided for himself to retire for a while. In a statement issued in late February, he wrote, “I know I have not been on my best behavior and desperately need time off to prioritize those I love most.”

When will Mickelson tee it up again?

As a result, he missed several important tournaments. Just recently, he did not play in the Players Championship, which is the biggest tournament on the PGA Tour. There will be no sign of Mickelson at any of the other tournaments in March either. Now he has cancelled the Masters. For him, it is the first Masters since his debut in 1994 that he will miss. When and how Mickelson plans a comeback to the tour is not yet known, so we have to be patient until Mickelson speaks out again.

Categories
PGA Tour

Tiger Woods wins the PGA Tour’s Player Impact Program

Can look forward to eight million US dollars: Tiger Woods is ranked first in the PGA Tour's Player Impact Programme. (Photo: Getty)
Can look forward to eight million US dollars: Tiger Woods is ranked first in the PGA Tour's Player Impact Programme. (Photo: Getty)

The top 10 of the Player Impact Programme for 2021 have been announced – and Tiger Woods walks away with eight million US dollars. The superstar leads the ranking just ahead of Phil Mickelson, who had already claimed the title on Twitter, and Rory McIlroy, the PGA Tour announced on Wednesday. The objective bonus programme is designed to reward players who generate positive interest in the PGA Tour, with the top ten players being paid a total of 40 million US dollars.

Tiger Woods: No tournament on the PGA Tour, still winner

The fact that the winner of this ranking is Tiger Woods comes as a surprise only because the 46-year-old was seriously injured in a car accident a year ago and has not played an official tournament since. But the PNC Championship at the end of last year may have been the deciding factor, when Woods came second with his son Charlie, played amazingly good golf again and thrilled the masses – NBC Sports reported 53 percent more viewers than the year before. It is precisely this attention that is rewarded in the Player Impact Programme, which is made up of a total of five categories: Google searches, Meltwater mention (mentions in the global media), MVP Index (reach in social media), Nielson Score (visibility during TV broadcasts of the PGA Tour on tournament weekends) and the Q-Score, which indicates the general level of awareness.

Player Impact Progamm Preisgeld
1. Tiger Woods 8 Mio. US-Dollar
2. Phil Mickelson 6 Mio. US-Dollar
3. Rory McIlroy 3,5 Mio. US-Dollar
4. Jordan Spieth 3,5 Mio. US-Dollar
5. Bryson DeChambeau 3,5 Mio. US-Dollar
6. Justin Thomas 3,5 Mio. US-Dollar
7. Dustin Johnson 3 Mio. US-Dollar
8. Brooks Koepka 3 Mio. US-Dollar
9. Jon Rahm 3 Mio. US-Dollar
10. Bubba Watson 3 Mio. US-Dollar

Looking at the more detailed breakdown of the individual scores, it is noticeable that the 15-time major winner leads the Google Searches, Meltwater Mention and Q-Score categories (and thus 3 out of 5 categories). This is not surprising, as Woods is the poster boy of golf and has repeatedly been a topic in the media, especially due to his serious accident. The record PGA Tour winner was “only” 43rd in the Nielsen score, which is quite remarkable in view of the fact that he only played one tournament.

Koepka and DeChambeau cash in

In this category, ” broadcast time”, Bryson DeChambeau is the leader, the 28-year-old also lands in third place in Meltwater mentions. So the “Brooks-Bryson-feud” seems to have paid off for the “Mad Scientist” and Brooks Koepka, as both stars land in the top 1o of the ranking and get a few extra bucks.

Surprisingly, Bubba Watson also made it into the top ten of the PIP. The 43-year-old wins the MVP Index category, i.e. has the greatest reach in social media, and does really well in Q-Score as third, compensating for the weaker categories. (The top 9 in each of the categories Google Searches and Meltwater Mention also occupy the first nine ranks in the PIP.) Collin Morikawa has already won quite a lot at the age of 24, but narrowly misses the top 10 in this ranking in eleventh place.

Player Impact Program: Payout tied to conditions

However, the stars of the PGA Tour only receive the money under two conditions: First, they have to participate in a “sponsor’s function”, such as an interview, Q&A session, dinner or similar, and second, they have to play an agreed tournament on the PGA Tour in order to collect the money. According to these regulations, the winner of the Player Impact Programme, Tiger Woods, only gets the money if he competes in a PGA Tour tournament that he has not played in the last four years. It is not known whether there is an exception for the superstar because of his special circumstances. For the coming year, the prize money pool has been increased by another ten million, so there will be a total of 50 million US dollars for the idols of golf.

Categories
PGA Tour

PGA Tour: Phil Mickelson no longer hosts the American Express

The PGA Tour is ending its partnership with Phil Mickelson to host the American Express. (Photo: Getty)
The PGA Tour is ending its partnership with Phil Mickelson to host the American Express. (Photo: Getty)

After his controversial and insulting statements about the PGA Tour and a possible Saudi Golf League, Phil Mickelson is facing severe consequences. Although the 51-year-old had apologised and announced a break from professional golf, several long-time partners of the six-time major winner ended their partnership. Now the PGA Tour has also announced that it will end its cooperation as host of the American Express.

PGA Tour: Phil Mickelson no longer host

As the “Desert Sun” reports, the PGA Tour has confirmed that Phil Mickelson will no longer return to La Quinta, California, as host in 2023. In addition, the Mickelson Foundation, which was established in 2019 specifically for the American Express, will no longer be part of the tournament. This is the PGA Tour’s way of responding to “Lefty’s” statements, with which he had taken a tough stand against the American professional tour. Mickelson and his foundation had been the official host of the American Express since 2020 and were originally supposed to hold that role until (at least) 2024. Who will take over this role from next year has not yet been decided.

Sponsors cut ties

Previously, personal sponsors had also cut the ties and ended or paused their cooperation with Mickelson. Callaway, the equipment manufacturer of the 45-time PGA Tour winner declared to pause the partnership. “Callaway does not condone Phil Mickelson’s comments and we were very disappointed in his choice of words — they in no way reflect our values or what we stand for as a company,” it said in a statement to golf.com. “Phil has apologized and we know he regrets how he handled recent events. We recognize his desire to take time away from the game and respect that decision. We recognise his desire to take time out from the game and respect that decision.” After this unspecified time off, the partnership will be re-evaluated, the statement added.

However, other sponsors of the superstar came up with even harder consequences. KMPG, Workday and Amstel Light (Heineken) have all ended their cooperation with the World Golf Hall of Famer. “At this time, Workday and Phil Mickelson have mutually and amicably agreed to not renew our brand sponsorship that ends this March,” a Workday spokesperson told Golf Digest on Friday. KPMG had also “mutually agreed” to part ways with Mickelson, he added. Similarly, Heineken, the parent company of Amstel Light, announced that it was going “separate ways”.