Phil Mickelson has claimed that the US and UK will “soon come around” to LIV Golf because the Saudi-funded circuit is “loved throughout the rest of world”.
Mickelson made the comments on the eve of the £22million event in Jeddah. It is the first time the six-time major winner has played in the Kingdom since being quoted earlier this year calling the Saudis “scary motherf—— to be involved with” and declaring that he was only showing interest in the rebel circuit because of the leverage it gave him in his long-running dispute with the PGA Tour over media rights.
Three months after these remarks came to light – and after he had been suspended by the PGA Tour for working against his home circuit – the 52-year-old signed with LIV in a deal believed to be worth $200million, appearing in the inaugural event in Hertfordshire and the five tournaments since.
LIV’s seventh 54-holer – that starts on Friday – at the Royal Greens Country Club was perhaps always going to be awkward for him and he was duly asked about his controversial put-down of the country in his press conference on Thursday.
Yet after reiterating his assertion that those statements came from an off-the-record conversation with a US journalist and insisting that “my experience with everybody associated with LIV Golf has been nothing but incredibly positive and I have the utmost respect for everybody who I’ve been involved with”, Mickelson explained why he believes the entire sport will also be seduced by the upstart league backed by the Public Investment Fund, controlled by Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman.
“Golf is very lucky to have the PIF invest in the game… being influxed with billions of dollars,” he said. “Now the US and the UK are not favourable to…
Source : yahoo
