Phil Mickelson knows his game isn’t at the level he should be and told reporters on Thursday that he would be open to stepping down from LIV Golf competition if he wasn’t playing at the level he thinks he should.
Mickelson is one of golf’s most recognizable names, a sport that moved up to a Saudi Arabia-backed league in 2022, but he has just one top-20 finish in LIV Golf this year and has missed the cut in two of the four 2024 majors.
The 54-year-old is captain of the league’s High Flyers team and also owns a share in the club.
During a conference call ahead of next month’s LIV Individual Championship at Bolingbrook Golf Club, Mickelson acknowledged he could retire from the league if circumstances warrant.
“I see glimpses, both myself and my teammates, of me being at a place where we can expect me to compete at this level, but I’m also realistic with myself, and if I can’t do it, I’ll step aside and let someone else take the High Flyers to the next level,” Mickelson said.
“I’ll play every major on the regular tour next year, and then over the next six or seven years I’ll plan to play three of the four majors. I want to go and have a chance to win. And I want to grow this and create a culture that’s sustainable and that people want to be a part of.”
When asked about what he feels isn’t coming together in his game, Mickelson pointed to his short game, which has been his strength in the past.
When the topic of a possible merger between LIV and the PGA Tour and what sort of schedule they would like to see as a result of that came up, he said he was “not part of that conversation.”
“My schedule and my desires as a 54-year-old are going to be very different than most players,” Mickelson added. “So I have to look at the bigger picture and do what’s best for the players at LIV and players across the sport of golf. Instead of focusing on just the 54-year-old, I’d say my desires aren’t really relevant to that conversation.”
