“LIV Golf is here to stay” – Phil Mickelson claims PGA Tour’s monopoly to be over, calls for truce between two leagues

The PGA Tour has been the biggest tour in golf for some time now. However, its monopoly was challenged by the introduction of LIV Golf. While the PGA Tour-LIV Golf debate continues to rage, former PGA Tour champion Phil Mickelson has claimed that the Saudi-backed league is “here to stay”.

Phil Mickelson has been the poster boy for LIV Golf ever since his defection from the PGA Tour. He had earlier slammed the American circuit and supported the Saudi-backed series. Mickelson now holds that the PGA Tour’s monopoly is over. Backing his new league and its owners, the American golfer said that the PGA would no longer have "all the best players in the world".

Phil Mickelson has been one of LIV Golf’s star signings since its inception. After legendary golfer Tiger Woods turned down a $800 million – to $1 billion offer to sign for the controversial league, Mickelson became its top name. The six-time Major winner has been rallying support for LIV ever since. Speaking at LIV's fifth event in Chicago, Mickelson once again slammed the American circuit.

He said:

"The PGA Tour for the last 20 or 30 years have had all the best players in the world. That will never be the case again. LIV Golf is here to stay, and this type of divisive talk is doing nobody good.”

However, Mickelson went on to add that the fight between the two leagues would have a negative effect on the sport and their players. The golfer suggested that the PGA and LIV must "come together" in the best interest of golf.

He added:

"The best solution is for us to come together. I think that the world of professional golf has a need for the old, historical history of the game product that the PGA Tour provides, and I think that LIV provides a really cool, updated feel that is attracting a lot younger crowd… That's being proven in the people that are watching and the age of the people that are watching. I think both are needed for the game of golf. Both are good for the game of golf."

"The inclusion of LIV Golf in the ecosystem of the golf world is necessary. As soon as that happens and we all start working together, that's going to be a really positive thing for everyone."

---

LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman dismisses chances of a truce

While Phil Mickelson’s call for a truce between the two leagues is commendable, it doesn’t seem like a possibility at the moment. It is pertinent to note that LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman had earlier said that they have "no interest" in negotiating with the PGA. He had accused the American tour of "trying to destroy" LIV and said that there was no chance of another truce talk.

Speaking about PGA Tour earlier this month, Norman said:

"This notion we're trying to destroy tours is not true… The PGA Tour is trying to destroy us, it's as simple as that. The PGA Tour has not sat down and had a conversation with myself or any of my investors. We tried awfully hard, I know I did personally for the past year… When we knew we were never going to hear from them, we just decided to go. We have no interest in sitting down with them, to be honest with you, because our product is working."

It is pertinent to note that the two leagues have been on loggerheads ever since the LIV Golf tour’s inception. Numerous players have already defected to the Saudi-backed league. A large percentage of them also spoke against the PGA during their defection, which further affected the chances of a truce between the two sides.