It looks like this Phil Mickelson Now I can say, “I told you so.”
of LIV Golf The pro posed an interesting dilemma in a now-deleted social media post on X earlier this month, questioning what the future of golf would be if some of the game’s best players were no longer able to compete in major championships.
Padraig Harrington walks on the 15th hole during the third round of the Legion Tradition at Greystone Golf & Country Club in Birmingham, Alabama on May 11. (Alex Suritz/Getty Images)
Three-time major champion Padraig Harrington seems to agree, to a point.
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Following on from last week’s excitement PGA Championship Harrington told Golf Channel on Wednesday at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky, that he missed out on playing with some of the players who have qualified for majors despite moving to the rival Saudi Arabia-backed tour.
“I realized last week, God, we missed Bryson. [DeChambeau]Bryson stole the show last week and really contributed to that tournament… It was great, interesting and exciting to watch.”
“Yeah, I miss those guys,” he continued. “Like I said before, I can’t believe I miss Patrick Reed. That’s the reality.”
Harrington, from his experience playing on the European Tour, suggested feelings towards LIV might be similar to how players felt at the time about having two “powerful” circuits.
Padraig Harrington (left) and Jon Rahm walk off the sixth tee during a practice round before the PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky on May 14. (Ross Kinnard/Getty Images)
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“At the time I didn’t think the two tours would go well, but in retrospect I think it was a great thing,” he said.
Harrington further said finding a solution between the two tours and LIV may be the only way forward.
“Rivalries are good in sports and they’ve always been helpful, but there needs to be a solution. That’s one thing. I’ve voiced my opinion every day for the last two years, but I just think things are going to continue to move and change as the situation changes. I think everybody in golf wants a solution,” he said.
“What I know is probably the two biggest issues is that LIV shouldn’t allow their best players to be taken from their team. PGA TOUR It was a waste and I miss the players who went to LIV.”
Bryson DeChambeau celebrates after making a birdie on the 18th hole during the final round of the PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky on Sunday. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
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In response to a post from X earlier this month pointing out recent examples of LIV players earning lots of prize money but no world ranking points, Mickelson fired back in a since-deleted post about what the future of golf would be if LIV Tour players were no longer able to play in major tournaments.
“Some of the LIV players might not miss them, but what if none of the LIV players play? Would they miss them? What if better players play next year? Or the year after that? At some point they will care and they will have to be accountable to sponsors and TV,” Mickelson wrote in the Associated Press.
He ended the post with the acronym “FAAFO,” which stands for “F— around and find out.”
LIV first applied to the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR) Board of Directors for inclusion in July 2022, but was rejected in October last year. CEO and Commissioner Greg Norman He abandoned the effort shortly thereafter. This has led him to openly question “the accuracy, reliability and integrity of the OWGR rankings” system.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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