LIV Golf’s Phil Mickelson mockingly responds to Rory McIlroy’s PGA Tour snub of Memorial Tournament
McIlroy is skipping the Memorial Tournament for the first time since 2016, with PGA Tour commissioner Monahan defending players’ freedom to select their schedules
LIV Golf’s Phil Mickelson has taken a swipe at PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan over his defence of Rory McIlroy’s decision to give this week’s Memorial Tournament a miss.
Masters champion McIlroy is sitting out his third signature event of the season, having previously missed The Sentry and the RBC Heritage. The Northern Irishman’s decision to skip the tournament at Muirfield Village in Dublin, Ohio, follows his refusal to speak to the press after each round of the PGA Championship a fortnight ago.
McIlroy’s media snub came on the back of a report that his driver didn’t pass standard testing by the United States Golf Association ahead of the tournament, forcing him to switch to a backup. The 36 year old ended up sharing 47th place at Quail Hollow.
The world No. 2 wasn’t in the lineup for the Charles Schwab Challenge last week, and the Memorial Tournament marks the third of the tour’s $20 million elevated events that he has chosen not to participate in this year.
McIlroy hasn’t yet given a reason for his absence at Muirfield Village, even to tournament host Jack Nicklaus, although he is scheduled to play three consecutive events starting next week at the Canadian Open.
Monahan has made it clear that he isn’t bothered by McIlroy’s absence this week, praising his support for the tournament over the years. The commissioner also believes one of the strengths of the PGA Tour is players’ ability to decide when and where they compete.
PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan spoke to Sports Illustrated about player autonomy within the tour. “You look at the beauty of our model is that our players have the ability to select their schedule,” Monahan said.
“Rory McIlroy I think has played this tournament every year since 2017 [13 times overall] and you look at the tournaments he has supported … I don’t have any concern because you look at this, on balance, over time, his support of our tournaments and our partners is extraordinary.”
Highlighting Rory McIlroy’s fantastic season, Monahan continued: “Look at the season that Rory has had. He’s had a life-altering season. He’s won the Players Championship, you win the Masters Tournament, you win the [career] Grand Slam and you win the ATandT Pebble Beach Pro-Am.”
Phil Mickelson, instrumental in LIV Golf’s inception last year, reacted with laughter to Monahan’s remarks. He dropped a couple of laughing emojis as a reply to Monahan’s comments on social media.
Additionally, Mickelson seized the chance to critique the PGA Tour’s offerings.
While PGA Tour golfers enjoy the freedom to choose which events to enter from a packed roster of stateside competitions, LIV Golf members are bound to play across the entirety of its more limited yet worldwide schedule.
Six-time major winner Mickelson thinks the PGA Tour’s current model, where players aren’t required to participate in specific events, benefits the players but is limiting the tour’s global growth. Sponsors are uncertain whether top players will compete in the events they’re supporting.
“It’s why the PGA Tour won’t ever be able to move throughout the world, why sponsors don’t know what they are buying, why fans haven’t seen all the best compete against each other consistently for decades, and why no other sport successfully uses this model. It was great for me and all players, but not good for anyone else.”
LIV Golf’s Phil Mickelson mockingly responds to Rory McIlroy’s PGA Tour snub of Memorial Tournament
McIlroy is skipping the Memorial Tournament for the first time since 2016, with PGA Tour commissioner Monahan defending players’ freedom to select their schedules
LIV Golf’s Phil Mickelson has taken a swipe at PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan over his defence of Rory McIlroy’s decision to give this week’s Memorial Tournament a miss.
Masters champion McIlroy is sitting out his third signature event of the season, having previously missed The Sentry and the RBC Heritage. The Northern Irishman’s decision to skip the tournament at Muirfield Village in Dublin, Ohio, follows his refusal to speak to the press after each round of the PGA Championship a fortnight ago.
McIlroy’s media snub came on the back of a report that his driver didn’t pass standard testing by the United States Golf Association ahead of the tournament, forcing him to switch to a backup. The 36 year old ended up sharing 47th place at Quail Hollow.
The world No. 2 wasn’t in the lineup for the Charles Schwab Challenge last week, and the Memorial Tournament marks the third of the tour’s $20 million elevated events that he has chosen not to participate in this year.
McIlroy hasn’t yet given a reason for his absence at Muirfield Village, even to tournament host Jack Nicklaus, although he is scheduled to play three consecutive events starting next week at the Canadian Open.
Monahan has made it clear that he isn’t bothered by McIlroy’s absence this week, praising his support for the tournament over the years. The commissioner also believes one of the strengths of the PGA Tour is players’ ability to decide when and where they compete.
PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan spoke to Sports Illustrated about player autonomy within the tour. “You look at the beauty of our model is that our players have the ability to select their schedule,” Monahan said.
“Rory McIlroy I think has played this tournament every year since 2017 [13 times overall] and you look at the tournaments he has supported … I don’t have any concern because you look at this, on balance, over time, his support of our tournaments and our partners is extraordinary.”
Highlighting Rory McIlroy’s fantastic season, Monahan continued: “Look at the season that Rory has had. He’s had a life-altering season. He’s won the Players Championship, you win the Masters Tournament, you win the [career] Grand Slam and you win the ATandT Pebble Beach Pro-Am.”
Phil Mickelson, instrumental in LIV Golf’s inception last year, reacted with laughter to Monahan’s remarks. He dropped a couple of laughing emojis as a reply to Monahan’s comments on social media.
Additionally, Mickelson seized the chance to critique the PGA Tour’s offerings.
While PGA Tour golfers enjoy the freedom to choose which events to enter from a packed roster of stateside competitions, LIV Golf members are bound to play across the entirety of its more limited yet worldwide schedule.
Six-time major winner Mickelson thinks the PGA Tour’s current model, where players aren’t required to participate in specific events, benefits the players but is limiting the tour’s global growth. Sponsors are uncertain whether top players will compete in the events they’re supporting.
“It’s why the PGA Tour won’t ever be able to move throughout the world, why sponsors don’t know what they are buying, why fans haven’t seen all the best compete against each other consistently for decades, and why no other sport successfully uses this model. It was great for me and all players, but not good for anyone else.”
