Phil Mickelson has responded after being asked whether he would consider captaining the US team for next year’s Ryder Cup.
No player on either side has played in more editions of the Ryder Cup than Phil Mickelson. The 53-year-old made his debut in the competition back in 1995. And he remained a stalwart of the side up until his final appearance in 2018, as the Americans were beaten at Le Golf National.
Only two Americans have collected more points in their Ryder Cup careers than Mickelson. So Lefty would normally be one of the leading candidates to captain the US team when the next event takes place in 2025 at Bethpage.
Phil Mickelson not expecting Ryder Cup captaincy call
However, as things stand, it looks highly unlikely that the six-time major champion will be named as Zach Johnson’s successor.
Mickelson upset many with his move to LIV Golf back in 2022. The Californian was one of the first big names to sign up to the breakaway tour. And the manner of his departure left a sour taste in the mouth of many.
So it is hardly surprising that when asked on The Pat McAfee Show about the prospect of leading the US team in New York, Mickelson admitted that he is not holding his breath.
“I’ve had 12, 13 opportunities to be a part of the Ryder Cup – 12 as a player, one as a vice captain – and I’ve loved every minute of it and cherished those moments and those life experiences,” Mickelson said.
“I don’t feel I’m the right guy to be involved with the team because I’m a very divisive character right now, if you will. And I understand that the players on the PGA Tour, there’s a lot of hostilities toward me, and I don’t feel like I’d be the best leader for them going forward. I think that as the Ryder Cup captain, you have to be kind of a unifier and have these relationships solidified and be somebody that you want to follow, and right now, I’ve been very divisive – and I’m OK with that, I knew that was going to be the case, I knew that it was going to take a couple of years and that I was going to take a lot of hits and a lot of divisiveness.”
LIV defectors knew what they were signing up for
While there is a lot of uncertainty surrounding the future of golf, one thing that LIV has definitely done is taint the legacies of a lot of players in the eyes of many.
The likes of Mickelson, Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood were seemingly nailed on to be future Ryder Cup captains. Henrik Stenson, of course, was meant to lead the Europe last year before his own defection.
There is now a serious question mark over whether any will be involved in the competition again. That is a sad state of affairs. And many will argue that it is not fair on those who did so much for the Ryder Cup.
However, it is hard to have too much sympathy for those who made that decision to head to LIV.
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