“I was worried” – Phil Mickelson reacts to HyFlyers GC players welcoming his replacement for the LIV Golf opener

LIV Golf star Phil Mickelson said he was initially worried about his HyFlyers GC replacement, Ollie Schniederjans, for the season opener. However, he felt relieved after seeing his teammates help the youngster get prepped for this week.

LIV Golf Riyadh will take place from Thursday, February 6, to Saturday, February 9, at Riyadh Golf Club. On Monday, February 4, Mickelson announced that he was pulling out of the season opener and confirmed that Schniederjans would be replacing him.

On Tuesday, February 5, Mickelson shared a video on X showing HyFlyers GC members helping Ollie Schniederjans get warmed up for his LIV debut.

"I was worried, but the team has really stepped up to help Ollie," he wrote in caption. "It's clear that They. Are. READY!"

In the clip, Brendan Steele introduces Schniederjans and helps him get into the team’s mold.

"We don't have a lot of time, but we think we can get him into shape," he says.

Then, the team members ask the youngster to repeat, "I hit bombs." After that, they offer him recovery gummies, saying he will need them in the future. They then ask him about his favorite college, favorite shot, and favorite type of pants before handing him a pair of sunglasses to put on.

Here's the fun video:

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When will Phil Mickelson return to action?

Phil Mickelson is not playing at the LIV Golf Riyadh but he said he was looking forward to competing at the LIV Golf Adelaide. The second event of the season is scheduled to take place from Friday, February 14 to Sunday, February 16.

While Phil Mickelson is not playing the LIV opener, it will feature other stars like Bryson DeChambeua, Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson, and Joaquin Niemann.

Here's a look at the field for the LIV Golf Riyadh:

• Dustin Johnson
• Thomas Pieters
• Patrick Reed
• Harold Varner III
• Martin Kaymer
• Richard Bland
• Frederik Kjettrup
• Adrian Meronk
• Bryson DeChambeau
• Paul Casey
• Charles Howell III
• Anirban Lahiri
• Sergio Garcia
• Abraham Ancer
• Luis Masaveu
• David Puig
• Ollie Schniederjans
• Andy Ogletree
• Brendan Steele
• Cameron Tringale
• Kevin Na
• Yubin Jang
• Jinichiro Kozuma
• Danny Lee
• Jon Rahm
• Tyrrell Hatton
• Tom McKibbin
• Caleb Surratt
• Ian Poulter
• Henrik Stenson
• Lee Westwood
• Sam Horsfield
• Bubba Watson
• Ben Campbell
• Peter Uihlein
• Matthew Wolff
• Cameron Smith
• Lucas Herbert
• Matt Jones
• Marc Leishman
• Brooks Koepka
• Talor Gooch
• Jason Kokrak
• Graeme McDowell
• Louis Oosthuizen
• Dean Burmester
• Branden Grace
• Charl Schwartzel
• Joaquin Niemann
• Sebastián Muñoz
• Carlos Ortiz
• Mito Pereira
• Anthony Kim
• Chieh-Po Lee