Phil Mickelson Makes Rory McIlroy Dig Over 'All His BS'
The legendary left-hander said that no LIV Golf team would want Rory McIlroy due to having to deal with "all his bs"
Phil Mickelson has said that LIV Golf "would be perfect" for Rory McIlroy but he doesn't think any team would want him "because they'd have to deal with all his bs."
Mickelson's dig came after the Northern Irishman spoke of a want for an off-season, with McIlroy skipping the RBC Heritage in the week after The Masters, and incurring a $3m fine, for his "mental and emotional well-being.”
"We have all been advocating for an off-season and there's certain reasons why guys want - it's very hard to try to play your best golf when you're really thinking about your golf swing," McIlroy said at this week's Memorial Tournament.
"So that off-season time would be nice to work on your mechanics and your fundamentals so that you've got those sort of bedded in so that you can sort of roll going into the bulk of the season. I didn't really feel like I had the necessary time to do that over the -- you want to take a little bit of time off over the holidays, get yourself back into it.
"So it's just - my reluctancy to work on, like I know it's been creeping in, but reluctancy to work on it was more to do with the fact of how much golf we had coming up and just not really wanting to be thinking about my golf swing a ton."
The more Rory McIlroy speaks lately, the more he validates everything Phil Mickelson said about playing less golf & having an offseason etc and how it will improve the play of the world's best. Can someone let Rory's agent know there is an open spot on @SmashGC #LIVgolf pic.twitter.com/xufzIgVXlvJune 2, 2023
A Twitter user suggested that Mickelson was right when he said that LIV was the best way to prepare for Majors and even mentioned that there might be a spare spot on the Smash GC team after reports that Matthew Wolff had departed the quartet captained by Brooks Koepka.
"As worn out as McIlroy was after the Masters and his need for an off season, LIV would be perfect for him," Mickelson wrote on Twitter. "Problem is I don't think there's a team that wants him on it because they'd have to deal with all his bs."
Get the Golf Monthly Newsletter
Subscribe to the Golf Monthly newsletter to stay up to date with all the latest tour news, equipment news, reviews, head-to-heads and buyer’s guides from our team of experienced experts.
The pair have had another back-and-forth recently after McIlroy was asked about Mickelson's comments on the way LIV helped prepare players for golf's biggest tournaments. The four-time Major champion called Lefty's idea "flawed."
“Love LIV or hate it, it’s the best way/Tour to be your best in the majors," Mickelson tweeted after Brooks Koepka's PGA Championship victory. "Enough events to keep you sharp, fresh and ready, yet not be worn down from too many tournaments or obligations. 14 LIV events, 34 weeks left open to prepare for the 4 majors. Fact.”
McIlroy responded by saying: “You know, no one makes anyone play 25 events on the PGA Tour. 15's the minimum. So you can play 15 and your four Major championships and there you go. You're at 19. No one's making you play that many. So I think that's a pretty flawed argument.”
The pair clearly aren't on the best terms after McIlroy was seen saying "F*** you Phil!" in his episode of the Netflix Full Swing docuseries.
It's unclear as to what "bs" Mickelson is referring to in regards to LIV teams not wanting McIlroy to play for them, so we'll await any follow ups.
One thing is for sure and that is that McIlroy will highly unlikely ever make the switch to LIV. He has been one of the strongest proponents of the traditional PGA Tour circuit and has spoken out many times against the Saudi-backed tour.
Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news team as well as our large Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. He covered the 2022 Masters from Augusta National as well as five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. His first Open was in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, when he walked inside the ropes with Jordan Spieth during the Texan's memorable Claret Jug triumph. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Western Gailes, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays off of a six handicap. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!
Elliott is currently playing:
Driver: Titleist TSR4
3 wood: Titleist TSi2
Hybrids: Titleist 816 H1
Irons: Mizuno MP5 5-PW
Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58
Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5
Ball: Srixon Z Star XV
-
YouTube Star George Bryan Comes Within Inches Of PGA Tour Start At Qualifying Event
The YouTube star appeared set for a place at the Myrtle Beach Classic, but a near miss on the 18th left him in a playoff, which Matt Atkins won
By Mike Hall Published
-
6 Mistakes Golfers Make When Choosing A Putter
Joe Ferguson examines how you can avoid some common pitfalls the next time you look to change putters
By Joe Ferguson Published
-
'We're Coming For That Green Jacket' - Jon Rahm, Brooks Koepka, And Sergio Garcia Backing LIV Golfer To Win The Masters
There are 13 LIV Golf players set to tee it up at Augusta National Golf Club next week - and it's fair to say that confidence is high among the group
By Jonny Leighfield Published
-
Phil Mickelson's New Caddie Sent Off With Heartfelt 'Thank You' By 10-Year Former Employer
Jon Yarbrough will replace Tim Mickelson as Lefty's looper ahead of the 2024 Masters and LIV Golf Miami
By Jonny Leighfield Published
-
A Hole In The Life Of A Very Different Phil Mickelson – Inside The Ropes With Lefty
We follow a very different Phil Mickelson to the one who won The Open 10 years ago today
By Mark Townsend Published
-
Future Open Championship Venues
We take a look at where the Open will be held after this year’s Championship at Royal Liverpool
By Mark Townsend Published
-
'No Poaching' Players Clause Removed From PGA Tour-PIF Deal
A clause in the PGA Tour-PIF deal that prohibited poaching players from either the tour or LIV Golf has been removed after concerns it could break federal employment law
By Paul Higham Published
-
8 Of The Best Players To Never Win The Open
We take a closer look at the best players never to have lifted the old Claret Jug
By Michael Weston Published
-
Michael Block Misses Out On ESPY As Scheffler Wins Golfer Of The Year Award
Michael Block missed out on an ESPY Award for his PGA Championship hole-in-one as Scottie Scheffler was crowned Golfer of the Year
By Paul Higham Published
-
Scottie Scheffler Says Lack Of Clarity Over PGA Tour/PIF Deal 'A Bit Worrisome'
World No.1 Scheffler has spoken out over his frustrations and concerns about the proposed link up between the PGA Tour and Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund
By James Nursey Published