Eagle-eyed golf fans have noted Phil Mickelson teed off in the inaugural LIV Golf tournament wearing a top emblazoned with the logo of Augusta National Golf Club.
In what can only be described as a curious move, Mickelson, a three-time winner of the Masters Tournament, made sure the logo was visible when he hit his first shot in Greg Norman’s Saudi-backed rebel tour.
It’s not clear what message Mickelson hoped to send by sporting the logo, but the 51-year-old is known to be fastidious about what he wears, so you can be sure it wasn’t an accident.
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It could be a big ‘up yours’ to the PGA Tour, which sent a memo to players shortly after the LIV tournament began, explaining that Mickelson and 16 other LIV players, including Dustin Johnson, are no longer eligible for PGA Tour events, including the Presidents Cup.
The biggest question in golf right now is what the LIV tour means for the major tournaments. The PGA Tour does not run any of the four biggest tournaments – The Masters, PGA Championship, US Open and Open Championship.
The USGA has already indicated that Mickelson and his fellow rebels will be free to play in next week’s US Open in Massachusetts, provided they’ve qualified.
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The R&A, which runs the Open Championship, is yet to reveal its position, while organisers of the Masters (Augusta National Golf Club) and the PGA Championship (US PGA) can afford to wait and see how things play out, given they’ve already held their 2022 tournaments.
The biggest obstacle facing LIV players right now is the fact their tournaments don’t attract any world rankings points. That means that over time, they’ll drop down the rankings and will no longer be eligible for direct entry to the major tournaments, unless they are exempt in other fashions, such as being a previous winner, as Mickelson is at the Masters.
LIV called the decision by the PGA Tour to ban the rebel players “vindictive.”
In his letter to players, PGA Tour boss Jay Monahan said those that chose to play elsewhere must have expected some kind of sanction.
“These players have made their choice for their own financial-based reasons. But they can’t demand the same PGA Tour membership benefits, considerations, opportunities and platform as you,” Monahan wrote. “That expectation disrespects you, our fans and our partners.
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“You have made a different choice, which is to abide by the tournament regulations you agreed to when you accomplished the dream of earning a PGA Tour card and – more importantly – to compete as part of the preeminent organisation in the world of professional golf.”
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