Phil Mickelson cant resist mocking PGA Tour boss | Golf News

Golf celebrity Phil Mickelson has taken a jab at PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan over his defence of Rory McIlroy’s determination to skip this week’s Memorial Tournament.

Masters champion McIlroy is sitting out his third signature occasion of the season, following The Sentry and the RBC Heritage.

The Northern Irishman’s determination to miss the match at Muirfield Village in Dublin, Ohio, follows his refusal to communicate to reporters after all 4 rounds of the PGA Championship two weeks in the past.

McIlroy’s media snub got here after a report that his driver failed customary testing by the United States Golf Association forward of the match, forcing him to swap to a backup.

He ended up sharing the forty seventh place at Quail Hollow. The world No. 2 was not in the sector for the Charles Schwab Challenge final week, and the Memorial Tournament is the third of the tour’s $20 million elevated occasions that he has declined to play in this yr.

McIlroy has yet to clarify why he isn’t taking part at Muirfield Village, even to match host Jack Nicklaus, although he’s set to play three consecutive occasions beginning next week at the Canadian Open.

Monahan expressed that he isn’t bothered by McIlroy’s absence this week, praising his help for the match over the years. The commissioner also believes one of the strengths of the PGA Tour is gamers’ skill to decide when and where they play.

Monahan, in an interview with Sports Illustrated, stated: “You look at the beauty of our model is that our players have the ability to select their schedule. 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.

“Look at the season that Rory has had. He’s had a life-altering season. He’s received the Players Championship, you win the Masters Tournament, you win the [career] Grand Slam and you win the ATandT Pebble Beach Pro-Am.”

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Mickelson, who was instrumental in the formation of the LIV Golf breakaway in 2022, quickly reacted to Monahan’s evaluation. He responded to the remarks with a couple of laughing emojis on social media, seizing the chance to criticize the PGA Tour product.

While PGA Tour players enjoy the liberty to select the events they participate in from a vast schedule of American-based events, LIV players are obligated to play the entire breakaway circuit’s smaller but global itinerary.

Six-time major winner Mickelson thinks the PGA Tour’s model, which doesn’t require players to participate in specific events, is beneficial to players but hinders the tour’s global growth. Sponsors are uncertain if top players will participate in the events they support.

“It’s why the PGA Tour will not ever find a way to transfer all through the world, why sponsors do not know what they’re shopping for, why followers have not seen all the best compete against each different persistently for many years, and why no different sport efficiently makes use of this model,” Mickelson said. “It was great for me and all gamers, but not good for anybody else.