When Phil Mickelson dismissed rumors of joining the European Tour: 'Isn't a good fit now'

American professional golfer Phil Mickelson played on the PGA Tour before joining LIV Golf. 16 years ago, Mickelson admitted that although the European Tour was a good opportunity, he wasn’t interested in joining it.

Mickelson started playing professional golf in 1992. He has 45 PGA Tour wins and six Major Championship titles. The 54-year-old golfer has won the Masters Tournament three times and the PGA Championship twice. He also lifted the trophy in the 2013 Open Championship and was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2012.

In 2009, the American professional golfer sat down for an extensive interview with Golf Digest. During the Q&A session, he was asked to confirm or deny rumors that he was joining the European Tour. He replied:

“The European tour is a great opportunity to have golf grow on a worldwide basis. I don't think the PGA Tour is threatened, although the growth of golf in the United States has been flat. We're just not getting more people into playing, so the growth is not accelerating the way we'd like it to,” said Mickelson.

“As for me, the European tour just isn't a good fit now. Last year was stressful for the family and me because we didn't spend as much time together as we'd like,” he added.

Only 17 golfers have won at least three of the four Major Championships, and Phil Mickelson is one of them. He has yet to claim the U.S. Open but has come in second position in the tournament six times.

Mickelson has competed in three LIV Golf events this year. He teed off in LIV Golf Adelaide at the Grange Golf Club, finishing in T23 with a two-under. His best result came at LIV Golf Hong Kong, where he came in third position with 14-under.

Phil Mickelson gears up to compete in LIV Golf’s The Duel alongside Grant Horvat

LIV Golf announced the introduction of a new single-event competition called The Duels: Miami. The event will feature an impressive lineup of golf content creators who will be paired with LIV Golfers, and it will be played at LIV Golf Miami.

For the first-ever event, Phil Mickelson will team up with popular YouTube golf content creator Grant Horvat. The YouTuber took to Instagram to make the announcement, saying he was honored to be part of the competition.

“I’m thrilled to announce that Phil and I will be competing in Duels Miami and I’m honored to be hosting it on my YouTube channel. This event is truly one of a kind, and I can’t wait to bring you some of the most entertaining and competitive golf content YouTube has ever seen. Grateful for this opportunity, and as always, none of it would be possible without all of you. Thank you!” Horvat said.

Here’s a full lineup of players who will tee off in The Duels: Miami:

Sergio Garcia and George Bryan
Bubba Watson and Luke Kwon
Joaquin Niemann and Rick Shiels
Phil Mickelson and Grant Horvat
Dustin Johnson and Wesley Bryan
Cameron Smith and Fat Perez

About the author

Sarah Rishama Madaki is a dedicated Golf Writer at Sportskeeda with a passion for bringing fresh perspectives to the world of sports journalism. With five years of professional experience as a content writer and strategist, she has worked with global brands across diverse industries, including stints at Soot Africa, TWU, Ink Different Hub, and Attrock.

A devoted fan of golf, Sarah stays updated on the sport through platforms like ESPN, SS Golf, and esteemed publications such as Golf Digest and Golf.com. She combines her knowledge of the game with an ability to understand audience preferences, crafting stories that resonate deeply with readers.

Sarah credits Tiger Woods as her inspiration for entering the world of golf. His resilience, innovative contributions to the game, and achievements motivate her to push boundaries in her career.

Beyond golf, Sarah is an avid NFL enthusiast cheering for the Kansas City Chiefs, a fiction novel lover, and a budding gardener. She aspires to one day cover historic events like The Masters at Augusta National Golf Club, bringing fans closer to the heart of the action.

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Edited by Rupesh