Phil Mickelson was one of the lead pioneers for LIV Golf, when he left the PGA Tour to switch to the Saudi-backed outfit back in 2022.
It is beyond debate that Phil Mickelson is one of the greatest and most entertaining PGA Tour players of all-time.
So when he switched allegiances to LIV Golf three years ago, shockwaves were sent around the golfing world.
Mickelson has six major championships to his name, and 45 PGA Tour titles – a tally that puts him tied eighth all-time alongside Walter Hagen.
However, he’s still waiting to get inside the LIV winner’s circle.
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Phil has backed his fellow LIV player Sergio Garcia to do well at The Masters next week.
He’s a huge proponent of LIV Golf, and now he has highlighted why he thinks the fledgling tour will be so successful.
Phil Mickelson explains big advantage LIV has over the PGA Tour
There is still plenty of tension between the two rival factions, despite claims suggesting that a merger could happen some day soon.
And Mickelson, being one of the most outspoken critics of the PGA Tour, often spearheads passionate defences of LIV.
He was speaking to Fox News just before LIV Miami teed off at Doral’s Blue Monster.
“I wouldn’t say it’s gone (the tension between tours), Mickelson said. “We are about growing the game globally, whilst the PGA Tour has always been about growing the game nationally. There is a lot of criticism we take in the United States, but if you look globally, the way LIV Golf is received is incredible.
“The model that professional golf has had is very individualistic, not controlling players’ schedules, sponsors don’t know what they’re buying, TV doesn’t know who’s going to be playing and fans don’t know who they’re going to be watching. We’re changing that model entirely. You know who’s going to be playing, TV knows what they’re buying, who’s competing. So when we move that professionally golf globally throughout the world to other countries that have not had golf at the highest level before, you start to see the interest. And that’s what we’re seeing on a global scale.”
LIV Golf vs PGA Tour viewing figures
The PGA Tour absolutely dominate LIV when it comes to viewership.
As an example, back in February, PGA Tour’s Waste Management Phoenix Open averaged 2.87 million viewers during final round coverage on CBS.
Meanwhile LIV’s event out in Riyadh averaged just 85,000 viewers throughout the day, on the same weekend as the tournament in Phoenix.
There’s a very clear disparity between the two tours right now when it comes to interest from fans, especially in America.
Despite what Phil Mickelson says, LIV still have a long way to go if they are to compete directly with the PGA Tour.
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