Will this be the end for “Lefty” on the LIV GOLF Tour?

By Len Ziehm

With three tournaments left in a lacklustre season, could this be Phil Mickelson’ s farewell to tournament golf?

Probably not, but the six-time major champion’s focus is changing.  He is in LIV’s regular season event at Greebrier, in West Virginia, this week then will play in in at least the first of its two season-ending championships — at Bolingbrook Golf Club in the Chicago area Sept. 13-15. The Saudi-backed circuit played regular season events at Rich Harvest Farms, in Sugar Grove, in its first two campaigns but this year’s event is bigger. It’s LIV’s season individual championship

The only event remaining after LIV/Chicago is Sept. 20-22 at Maridoe – another new site on the circuit – in Dallas. It’s LIV’s team championship, but Mickelson’s HyFlyers aren’t qualified for that yet. It’ll conclude LIV’s 14-tournament season.

Mickelson was the first major star to bolt from the PGA Tour to join LIV. He hasn’t been a star on the new circuit but has no regrets about what was then a controversial move.

He’s excited about returning to Chicago for the regular season finale.  Mickelson played in tournaments at all the well-known Chicago tournament courses in his long run on the PGA Tour, though Bolingbrook isn’t one of those.

“We’ve played some venues throughout LIV that are truly world class and cover the gamut, from long and hard to tight and a lot of character,’’ said Mickelson.  “We’ve played many (PGA Tour) courses. We’re going to Greenbrier this week.  We’ve played Mayakoba (Mexico).  We’re playing Hong Kong , Sentosa, where there have been many tournaments  played. There’s also a value to playing a course where the public can play very easily.’’

Bolingbrook, the 23^rd course LIV has used in its three seasons, is a public venue.  Mickelson didn’t know that the course designer was the late Arthur Hills. That was good news.

“He’s a wonderful architect,’’ said Mickelson. “He’s done some great stuff. He’s very credible as an architect. I’m looking forward to seeing what he came up with.’’

Rich Harvest was well received by the LIV players, but it’s a private club.   Mickelson wasn’t a big fan of Cog Hill’s Dubsdread course, another Chicago public layout in Lemont, IL., that had a long run as host of the Western Open and BMW Championship on the PGA Tour. He’s excited about going to Bolingbrook, however.

As for his own game, Mickelson has yet to win on the LIV Tour. At 54 years old, his game may be on the decline. He’s ranked 44^th of 56 players on LIV performance this season going into the Greenbrier event,  and the team he captains is 12^th of 13 in the point standings.

Mickelson has played in all 33 LIV tournaments over the three seasons and has but three top-10 finishes, his best a tie for sixth. One of the others was a tie for eighth at Rich Harvest in 2022.

“If you look at the analytics it’s been my short game that has crushed me the last few years,’’ he said.  “It’s been a staple of my game throughout my career, and the last couple years it’s been the reason I’ve not had the results. Finally I’ve had a little turn-around.  If my short game is sharp I’m going to be in contention.’’

In the lead-up to LIV’s creation Mickelson was one of its outspoken advocates while also being critical of the PGA Tour.

“For 30-plus years I did everything I could to help build the PGA Tour brand,’’ he said. “I would be brought in to close deals with many CEOs. That was my way of helping to build the PGA Tour at that time. I’m no longer part of that tour. My focus now is to build the HyFlyers team and grow the game globally through LIV Golf.’’

Though negotiations are ongoing, peace between LIV, the PGA Tour and Europe’s DP World Tour doesn’t seem possible in the near future.

“We’re in the middle of a disruption phase,’’ admitted Mickelson, who isn’t participating in the negotiations among tour leaders, “but where we’re going to end up and where we’ll be when this gets sorted through is exponentially better than where we were in the path that we were on.’’

LIV attracted stars like Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka with hefty pay incentives and prize money per event that is more than the PGA and DP World Tour were paying.  Standard LIV purses are $25 million for individuals in the 54-hole events and $5 million in the team competition.

It’s not just the money that intrigues Mickelson now. The HyFlyers will kick off Pros Versus Schmos on YouTube at the Chicago stop.

“I’m very new to this, and YouTube isn’t really the world I grew up in,’’ said Mickelson. “I’m learning a lot from Bryson who has really spearheaded a phenomenal campaign.  I’m trying to learn as we go.’’

The HyFlyers will also be partnering with Bunkers in Bagdad, an organization that donates golf equipment to American military personnel, at the Chicago stop.

“Bunkers in Bagdad is one of the best organizations that we’ve come across because 99 percent of revenue goes directly to the men and women who  have served our country to help get them involved in the game of golf,’’ said Mickelson. “It’s a source of pride for us, the HyFlyers, to partner with the Bunkers in Bagdad for all that they’ve done and all they continue to do.’’

Mickelson says his involvement with the team aspect of LIV Golf “is going to be long-term and probably through the rest of my life.’’

As for more playing Mickelson says “I’m realistic with where I’m at.  If I’m not able I’ll step aside  and let somebody come on in and take the Hy Flyers to new levels. I’m an equity shareholder and I’ll have the ability to be intricately  involved in the growing of of the team throughout the course of the next many decades.’’

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