PGA

Rory McIlroy believes Phil Mickelson will return to the PGA Tour at some point. 

Speaking to reporters ahead of this weekend's Arnold Palmer Invitational, McIlroy said "we all make mistakes" and explained why he doesn't think Mickelson's golf career is over:

I think Phil has been a wonderful ambassador for the game of golf, still is a wonderful ambassador for the game of golf. It’s unfortunate that a few comments that he thought he was making in confidence or off the record got out there. This whole situation is unfortunate.

Look, Phil will be back. I think the players want to see him back. He’s done such a wonderful job for the game of golf, and he’s represented the game of golf very, very well for the entirety of his career.

Mickelson announced on Feb. 22 he was going to take "some time away" in the wake of his controversial comments about the Saudi Arabia-backed Super Golf League that was trying to sign several of the top PGA Tour stars. 

An apology from Phil Mickelson, issued just now.

Says he regrets making comments and called it "reckless."

"Golf desperately needs change, and real change is always preceded by disruption." pic.twitter.com/k1XCQ12sXS

— Sean Zak (@Sean_Zak) February 22, 2022

Mickelson made his comments about the Saudi league to Alan Shipnuck, who included them in an upcoming unauthorized biography. 

"They're scary motherf--kers to get involved with," Mickelson told Shipnuck in November (h/t ESPN's Mark Schlabach). "... They killed [Washington Post reporter and U.S. resident Jamal] Khashoggi and have a horrible record on human rights. They execute people over there for being gay. Knowing all of this, why would I even consider it? Because this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reshape how the PGA Tour operates."

The reaction to those comments was swift and strong. Callaway Golf announced it was pausing its sponsorship deal with Mickelson. KPMG, Amstel Light and Workday all ended their deals with Lefty. 

Speaking to GolfWeek's Adam Schupak on Feb. 20, McIlroy called Mickelson's comments "naive, selfish, egotistical, ignorant."

The Saudi Arabian government has been accused of sportswashing in an attempt to improve its standing and obscure its history of poor human rights. 

Per human rights organization Grant Liberty (h/t Ruth Michaelson of The Guardian), Saudi Arabia has spent "at least" $1.5 billion to bring high-profile sporting events to the country in recent years. 

Mickelson most recently played at the Farmers Insurance Open in January. He missed the cut with a score of three over par. There is no indication at this point when the 51-year-old might play in a PGA Tour event again.     

Phil Mickelson will no longer serve as the host for the American Express PGA Tour event in 2023 after his comments regarding the Saudi Arabia-backed Super Golf League.

The PGA Tour revealed the news to Larry Bohannan of the Palm Springs Desert Sun, who also wrote that the Mickelson Foundation will no longer be part of the event either.

Mickelson's remarks occurred during a November interview with Alan Shipnuck for his upcoming biography, Phil: The Rip-Roaring (and Unauthorized!) Biography of Golf's Most Colorful Superstar.

However, the comments didn't come to light until Shipnuck released the Q-and-A in advance last week.

The most controversial remarks included Mickelson's explaining why he considered the Super Golf League despite Saudi human rights violations.

In essence, Mickelson said his issues with the PGA Tour (he's notably criticized it for what he calls "obnoxious greed") trump any concerns he has about the human rights record:

We know they killed [Washington Post reporter and U.S. resident Jamal] Khashoggi and have a horrible record on human rights. They execute people over there for being gay. Knowing all of this, why would I even consider it? Because this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reshape how the PGA Tour operates. They've been able to get by with manipulative, coercive, strong-arm tactics because we, the players, had no recourse.

Backlash ensued, with some fellow star golfers (e.g., Justin Thomas, Rory McIlroy) expressing dismay and disappointment.

Mickelson eventually apologized for the remarks and said he's stepping away from golf to "prioritize the ones I love most and work on being the man I want to be."

A Statement from Phil Mickelson pic.twitter.com/2saaXIxhpu

— Phil Mickelson (@PhilMickelson) February 22, 2022

Following his remarks, Callaway paused its relationship with Mickelson, and Workday severed ties with the six-time major winner entirely. KPMG and Amstel Light also broke off from Mickelson.

Callaway Golf has paused its partnership with Phil Mickelson following his comments about the Saudi Arabia-backed Super Golf League, it announced Friday. 

https://twitter.com/RexHoggardGC/status/1497376929397288966

Workday, KPMG and Heineken/Amstel are among the companies to have ended their relationship with Mickelson entirely, according to Joel Beall of Golf Digest. It's unclear if Callaway has plans to completely drop Mickelson in the future. 

Mickelson recently voiced his opinion about the Super Golf League, making controversial comments, to author Alan Shipnuck, who posted an excerpt from his upcoming book, Phil: The Rip-Roaring (and Unauthorized!) Biography of Golf's Most Colorful Superstar, per ESPN's Mark Schlabach:

They're scary motherf--kers to get involved with. ... They killed [Washington Post reporter and U.S. resident Jamal] Khashoggi and have a horrible record on human rights," Mickelson continued, in an interview that Shipnuck said took place in November. "They execute people over there for being gay. Knowing all of this, why would I even consider it? Because this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reshape how the PGA Tour operates.

Mickelson recently apologized for those comments in a Twitter post:

A Statement from Phil Mickelson pic.twitter.com/2saaXIxhpu

— Phil Mickelson (@PhilMickelson) February 22, 2022

Mickelson has been criticized by many of his peers on the PGA Tour, including Rory McIlroy, who told Schlabach:

I don't want to kick someone while he's down obviously, but I thought [Mickelson's comments] were naive, selfish, egotistical, ignorant. A lot of words to describe that interaction he had with Shipnuck. It was just very surprising and disappointing. Sad. I'm sure he's sitting at home sort of rethinking his position and where he goes from here.

The Super Golf League was trying to poach several of the PGA Tour's biggest stars in recent weeks. However, many of those stars have recently denounced any interest in joining the Saudi-backed league. Bryson DeChambeau, Tiger Woods, Dustin Johnson and Jon Rahm have all reiterated their commitment to the PGA Tour in recent weeks. 

After the current Honda Classic comes to an end, the next PGA Tour event is the Arnold Palmer Invitational.  

PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan says there is "zero complacency" within the PGA about the emergence of a new Saudi-backed golf league that is attempting to woo the sport's top players.

"All this talk about the league and about money has been distracting to our players, our partners and most importantly our fans," Monahan told The Associated Press (h/t ESPN). "We're focused on legacy, not leverage. You saw it last week with Joaquin Niemann winning, receiving the trophy from a legend [tournament host Tiger Woods] who inspired him to take up the game.

"Those moments can't be replicated."

The world's top players have largely chosen to stick with the PGA Tour. Phil Mickelson has been the most prominent current player linked to the league.

Author Alan Shipnuck posted an excerpt of an interview from his upcoming book, Phil: The Rip-Roaring (and Unauthorized!) Biography of Golf’s Most Colorful Superstar, that saw Mickelson seemingly justify getting in business with the Saudi government in order to change the PGA Tour. 

“They’re scary motherf--kers to get involved with,” Mickelson said. “We know they killed [Washington Post reporter and U.S. resident Jamal] Khashoggi and have a horrible record on human rights. They execute people over there for being gay. Knowing all of this, why would I even consider it? Because this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reshape how the PGA Tour operates."

Mickelson, who later apologized for his comments, accused the PGA of getting away with "manipulative, coercive, strong-arm tactics because we, the players, had no recourse." 

Shipnuck reported last week that 20 golfers are committed to the Saudi-backed league, which boasts Greg Norman as its CEO. A public announcement is expected next month.

Norman released a statement Thursday in response to Monahan's comments, promising "this is just the beginning" of the league's fight against the PGA. 

Phil Mickelson is no longer sponsored by KPMG after his recent comments regarding Saudi Arabia.

"KPMG U.S. and Phil Mickelson have mutually agreed to end our sponsorship effective immediately. We wish him the best," the organization said in a statement, via Kendall Baker of Axios.

Speaking about the Saudi-backed Super Golf League, Mickelson indicated to biographer Alan Shipnuck that he might be willing to overlook human rights issues in order to gain "leverage" on the PGA Tour.

"We know they killed [Washington Post reporter and U.S. resident Jamal] Khashoggi and have a horrible record on human rights. They execute people over there for being gay. Knowing all of this, why would I even consider it? Because this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reshape how the PGA Tour operates," Mickelson said, via the Fire Pit Collective.

Mickelson apologized on Tuesday, saying the comments were intended to be off the record:

A Statement from Phil Mickelson pic.twitter.com/2saaXIxhpu

— Phil Mickelson (@PhilMickelson) February 22, 2022

The 51-year-old said in the post he "desperately [needs] some time away."

Mickelson was heavily criticized for his initial comments, which also included calling the PGA Tour a "dictatorship."

Rory McIlroy called Mickelson's interview "naive, selfish, egotistical, ignorant."

It could lead to significant consequences for a player who generates a lot of income through endorsements:

.@Sportico ranks Phil Mickelson 24th among the world's highest-paid athletes, and 8th highest in endorsements, thanks to deals with companies like KPMG.

Mickelson made $42 million in endorsements last year. https://t.co/MNLSG4QO5V

— Eben Novy-Williams (@novy_williams) February 22, 2022

According to Shipnuck, Workday has chosen not to renew Mickelson's contract when it expires ahead of the Masters. KPMG also reportedly contacted Callaway before making its decision on Mickelson.

Mickelson uses Callaway clubs and currently has a lifetime contract with the company.   

Amid backlash to his controversial comments about the new Saudi Golf League, Phil Mickelson issued an apology on Tuesday. 

In a statement, Mickelson called his comments "reckless" and said he was "deeply sorry for my choice of words."

Phil Mickelson has released a statement surrounding recent comments about Saudi league, PGA Tour: "It was reckless, I offended people, and I am deeply sorry for my choice of words." pic.twitter.com/oeg7JQPmfu

— Brentley Romine (@BrentleyGC) February 22, 2022

Mickelson also seemed to indicate he would be taking a break from competitive golf. 

"The past 10 years I have felt the pressure and stress slowly affecting me at a deeper level," his statement said. "I know I have not been my best and desperately need some time away to prioritize the ones I love most and work on being the man I want to be."

In an upcoming unauthorized biography, Mickelson told Alan Shipnuck he wanted to use Saudi Arabia's interest in signing top stars for its own tour to leverage the PGA Tour into giving the players more money despite the country's history of human rights issues:

They’re scary motherf--kers to get involved with. We know they killed [Washington Post reporter and U.S. resident Jamal] Khashoggi and have a horrible record on human rights. They execute people over there for being gay. Knowing all of this, why would I even consider it? Because this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reshape how the PGA Tour operates. They’ve been able to get by with manipulative, coercive, strong-arm tactics because we, the players, had no recourse. As nice a guy as [PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan] comes across as, unless you have leverage, he won’t do what’s right. And the Saudi money has finally given us that leverage. I’m not sure I even want [the SGL] to succeed, but just the idea of it is allowing us to get things done with the [PGA] Tour.

In response to Mickelson's claim in the statement that his comments in the biography were off the record, Shipnuck tweeted that is "completely false" and he will "have more to say on that shortly."

Rory McIlroy, who has been adamant about not supporting the Saudi league, told reporters that Mickelson's comments were "naive, selfish, egotistical, ignorant."

Justin Thomas called Mickelson's desire to use Saudi Arabia as leverage on the PGA Tour an "egotistical statement."

Per Joel Beall of Golf Digest, the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia has backed LIV Golf Investments in an attempt to start a rival circuit that can challenge the PGA Tour as the world's premier golf league. 

Beall noted the PIF is "essentially the financial arm of the Saudi Arabia government" and has been using its money in an attempt to improve its reputation in other parts of the world by "heavily" investing in sports organizations and events. 

The Human Rights Watch website has detailed several human rights violations by Saudi Arabia in recent years, including authorities failing to hold high-level government officials accountable for their suspected involvement in the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. 

Per a March 2021 report from Grant Liberty (h/t Ruth Michaelson of The Guardian), Saudi Arabia has spent "at least" $1.5 billion on marquee sporting events in an attempt to boost its reputation around the world. 

The Spanish Football Association, WWE and a 2019 boxing match between Andy Ruiz Jr. and Anthony Joshua are among the notable events/organizations doing business in Saudi Arabia. 

Mickelson joined the PGA Tour in 1992. The 51-year-old is tied for eighth all-time with 45 wins on the circuit. His six career wins in major tournaments are tied with Lee Trevino for 12th all-time. 

Most recently, Lefty played in the Farmers Insurance Open at the end of January. He missed the cut after shooting three over par through the first two rounds.     

Bryson DeChambeau has no plans to back out of the PGA Tour to join the new Saudi Arabia-backed Super Golf League, he announced Sunday on Twitter. 

DeChambeau joins some of the sport's biggest names, including Dustin Johnson, Tiger Woods, Jon Rahm and Rory McIlroy, among others, in pledging his allegiance to the PGA Tour to continue playing alongside "the best players in the world."

pic.twitter.com/cRAAL6YrPB

— Bryson DeChambeau (@brysondech) February 20, 2022

Speculation about several of golf's top performers joining the Super Golf League ensued after players like DeChambeau and Johnson competed in the Saudi International earlier this month. They did so instead of competing in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. 

DeChambeau was also reportedly offered $135 million to be the face of the new Saudi league. 

Bubba Watson and Phil Mickelson were also among the competitors at the Saudi International, which was won by Harold Varner III, who shot 13-under par. 

While most of golf's biggest stars have reiterated their commitment to the PGA Tour, Mickelson, in particular, has been outspoken about potentially joining the Super Golf League to put pressure on the PGA Tour to improve. 

Mickelson voiced his opinion to author Alan Shipnuck, who posted an excerpt from his upcoming book, Phil: The Rip-Roaring (and Unauthorized!) Biography of Golf's Most Colorful Superstar, per ESPN's Mark Schlabach:

They're scary motherf---ers to get involved with... They killed [Washington Post reporter and U.S. resident Jamal] Khashoggi and have a horrible record on human rights," Mickelson continued, in an interview that Shipnuck said took place in November. "They execute people over there for being gay. Knowing all of this, why would I even consider it? Because this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reshape how the PGA Tour operates.

According to Schlabach, the Super Golf League planned to play around 14 events, including some in the United States. It also planned to have 54-hole tournaments with 40-man fields and possibly $20 million in purses, Schlabach added. 

But with the top eight players in the current Official World Golf Ranking pledging their allegiance to the PGA Tour, the Saudi-backed league isn't close to what it could have been if those players agreed to join it. 

Tiger Woods said Saturday that while a return to the PGA Tour is in the cards, he isn't sure when it will occur.

Woods made the declaration during an interview with CBS Sports' Jim Nantz at the Genesis Invitational, which is the tournament he hosts at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, California:

“You will see me on the PGA TOUR, I just don’t know when.” @TigerWoods joins Jim Nantz and @nickfaldo006 to discuss his rehab and return to golf. pic.twitter.com/tKzhH8pnJ5

— Golf on CBS ⛳ (@GolfonCBS) February 19, 2022

When Nantz asked Woods if he expected to be back on the PGA Tour some time in 2022, Woods responded, "You'll see me on the PGA Tour. I just don't know when."

Nantz also asked Woods about playing in the Masters in April, and according to Mitch Brown of Fox 56, Tiger said, "I don't know. We'll see. I'll be [at Augusta National on] Tuesday."

Woods has not played in an official PGA Tour event as an individual since the Masters in November 2020. Tiger underwent back surgery in December 2020 and then suffered major leg injuries in a February 2021 car accident.

While there was some thought that the 46-year-old Woods would never play competitive golf again after breaking both of his legs, Tiger was back on the course in December for the PNC Championship.

Woods teamed with his 12-year-old son, Charlie, and they finished second in the 36-hole event which pairs past major champions with family members.

Tiger's performance in that tournament drummed up some hope that he could be back playing in bigger tournaments soon, but there are apparently still hurdles left for him to clear.

In speaking with Nantz, Woods said that while he can hit balls without much issue, walking the course is a struggle because of his leg injuries.

Additionally, Woods has dealt with many more injuries in recent years, specifically to his back and knee.

The injuries were so bad that it was once assumed Woods would never be able to play at an elite level again, but he did the unthinkable by winning the 2019 Masters, which marked his first major tournament win since the 2008 U.S. Open.

That gave Woods 15 major tournament wins for his career, moving him within three of the record of 18 set by Jack Nicklaus.

The car accident seemingly decreased the odds of Woods challenging Nicklaus' record significantly, but it is clear Tiger isn't given up on playing in meaningful tournaments quite yet.

With five green jackets to his credit, Woods has long excelled in the Masters, and if he is able to play in the 2022 edition of the tournament, it will be massive news in the golf world regardless of how he performs.

Justin Thomas called Phil Mickelson's recent comments regarding his reasoning for potentially jumping to the Saudi-backed Super Golf League "egotistical."

Rex Hoggard of the Golf Channel relayed Thomas' remarks from the Genesis Invitational on Thursday.

Seems like a bit of a pretty, you know, egotistical statement. It's like he's done a lot of great things for the PGA Tour—it's a big reason it is where it is—but him and others that are very adamant about that, if they're that passionate, go ahead [to the super league]. I don't think anybody's stopping them.

Mickelson made his remarks in a November 2021 interview with Alan Shipnuck for the golf writer's upcoming biography, Phil: The Rip-Roaring (and Unauthorized!) Biography of Golf’s Most Colorful Superstar. Per Hoggard, the comments were recently published ahead of the book's release.

Among other comments, Mickelson explained why he's in talks to join the upstart league. Of note, he acknowledged numerous Saudi human rights atrocities but said he's willing to look past them because of his issues with the PGA Tour:

We know they killed [Washington Post reporter and U.S. resident Jamal] Khashoggi and have a horrible record on human rights. They execute people over there for being gay. Knowing all of this, why would I even consider it? Because this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reshape how the PGA Tour operates. They’ve been able to get by with manipulative, coercive, strong-arm tactics because we, the players, had no recourse.

Mickelson also said that "if the Tour doesn’t do the right thing, there is a high likelihood it’s [the Super Golf League] going to happen."

Per Hoggard, Thomas said he hadn't read the Shipnuck article when he was informed of some of Mickelson's remarks.

Thomas wasn't the only golfer who made comments about Mickelson.

“I think Phil speaks for Phil," Joel Dahmen said in part.

"Has he said some brilliant things through the years? Sure. Has he said some not-so-brilliant things? I think that’s true. But Phil doesn’t speak for us and he doesn’t speak for me."

The PGA Tour is currently at the Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, California.

Phil Mickelson sees value in the Saudi-backed Super Golf League, even while acknowledging the country's negative record on human rights.

The veteran golfer discussed the situation with biographer Alan Shipnuck, via Fire Pit Collective:

They're scary motherf--kers to get involved with. We know they killed [Washington Post reporter and U.S. resident Jamal] Khashoggi and have a horrible record on human rights. They execute people over there for being gay. Knowing all of this, why would I even consider it? Because this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reshape how the PGA Tour operates. They’ve been able to get by with manipulative, coercive, strong-arm tactics because we, the players, had no recourse. As nice a guy as [PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan] comes across as, unless you have leverage, he won't do what's right. And the Saudi money has finally given us that leverage. I'm not sure I even want [the SGL] to succeed, but just the idea of it is allowing us to get things done with the [PGA] Tour.

The SGL is funded by the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, which is run by the Saudi government. The U.S. State Department has criticized the country for "significant human rights issues" that include unlawful killings and torture.

Even Mickelson admitted the league is an example of "sportswashing," using propaganda to distract from human rights abuses and political problems.

These issues are significant, but the golfer believes it could create an opportunity to cut into the PGA Tour and help in negotiations.

"The Tour likes to pretend it's a democracy, but it's really a dictatorship," Mickelson said. "They divide and conquer. The concerns of the top players are very different from the guys who are lower down on the money list, but there's a lot more of them. They use the top guys to make their own situation better, but the top guys don't have a say."

The 51-year-old has long been a "top guy" in the sport with almost $95 million in career earnings. He still has a long list of issues with the PGA Tour, including payouts and media rights, the latter preventing potential income from NFTs.

It seems Mickelson is not alone, with Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau and Adam Scott among those reportedly mulling offers from the SGL, per Mark Schlabach of ESPN. Even the threat of top players leaving could create some change in the PGA Tour.

The governing body has already increased tournament purses while adding $50 million through the Player Impact Program, given to players who engage with fans.

Mickelson hopes PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan will continue to make concessions thanks to the SGL's presence.