When a PGA Tour legend slammed LIV Golf for handing 'nutbag' Phil Mickelson with $200 million

American professional golfer Phil Mickelson was a player on the PGA Tour before he moved to LIV Golf. In 2023, PGA Tour legend Fred Couples criticized the Saudi-backed league for offering a huge signing bonus to Mickelson.

Mickelson turned pro in 1992 and has 45 PGA Tour wins and 11 European Tour victories. He has clinched six Major Championship titles, including the Masters Tournament, PGA Championship, and Open Championship. On the other hand, PGA Tour legend Couples turned pro in 1980 and now plays on the PGA Tour Champions circuit.

During a PGA Tour Champions breakfast in March 2023, Couples, who was one of the guest speakers at the event, aimed some criticism at LIV Golf and even called Mickelson a “nutbag”.

“If you’re giving Phil Mickelson $200 million at age 52 to shoot 74 and 75, God bless you,” Couples said. (Via Golf Digest)

However, after taking jabs at Mickelson, the PGA Tour veteran stated that he still likes him and referred to him as one of the top 10 golfers of all time.

Mickelson joined LIV Golf in 2022 after receiving a reported $200 million, which was one of the highest signing fees offered by the Saudi-backed league at the time.

The San Diego-born golfer has competed in three LIV Golf events this year. He was unable to play in the season opener at Riyadh due to an injury, but he teed off at LIV Golf Adelaide where he finished at T23 with two-under. His best result this year is third position in LIV Golf Hong Kong, finishing with 14-under.

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“I’m finding a different way to win”: Phil Mickelson on reinventing his game as he gets older

Phil Mickelson, who turns 55 years old in June, spoke about how he has had to reinvent his game with age. In an episode on the Phil Mickelson and the HyFlyers channel on YouTube, the 45-time PGA Tour winner said that he has had to change his game to keep winning.

“My game over the 30 plus years has had to evolve and now at 54 I’m not going to be able to swing and hit 190 ball speeds like these young guys and I’m not going to overpower golf courses and use short game the way I used to,” the HyFlyers captain said. [11:05]

“I have to play a little smarter, a little different and that’s kind of what I've been fighting the last two or three years, like trying to win the same way, I’ve been winning? No, I got to find a different way and that’s what I’m doing heading into the 2025 season, I’m finding a different way to win. If I can play well, I can lift my team up and get us on the podium where we belong,” he concluded.

Mickelson is one of the LIV Golf players getting ready to tee off in the 2025 Masters Tournament on April 10.