Phil Mickelson is known for his candidness, but during Thursday’s pre-tournament press conference for the 2024 LIV Golf Team Championship at Maridoe Golf Club in Dallas, his brief one-word responses painted a somewhat unclear picture.
LIV Golf is set to conclude its third season on Sunday, after which it will enter the offseason, gearing up for its international debut for the 2025 season. When asked about the league’s future plans, very few details have emerged aside from the early-season schedule release.
This lack of clarity could be a result of ongoing negotiations between the PGA Tour and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, the financial backer of LIV Golf, regarding a potential reunion of the top talents from both tours. Alternatively, it may indicate a slowing momentum for LIV Golf following an impactful first two years.
However, Mickelson sees things differently.
In the last two offseasons, LIV Golf has notably signed former major champions, with Jon Rahm being the most significant addition last December; he recently clinched the league’s individual championship at LIV Golf Chicago. On Thursday, when Mickelson was queried whether he had spoken to players outside of LIV Golf interested in joining, he replied simply, “Yes.”
The follow-up inquiry was, “Do you want to expand on that any?” to which he responded, “No.”
These two questions yielded just as many one-word answers, leaving us to speculate what it might signify.
It’s possible that Mickelson is in discussions with players about potentially joining the league. Yet, unlike previous years, there’s scant discussion regarding potential moves of players from the PGA Tour to LIV Golf. Alternatively, LIV Golf may be in a holding pattern, waiting for further developments in professional golf, much like the rest of us.
From other interactions during the press conference with Mickelson and fellow LIV Golf captains, it appears the league is proceeding as usual. There were even hints about the possibility of more team-based events in the future, similar to the setup this week in Dallas.
However, Lefty’s decision to remain tight-lipped about his conversations has left many wondering. Is this merely a smokescreen, or is LIV Golf gearing up for another significant move this offseason?
Only time will reveal the answer.