ST. ANDREWS, Scotland — Phil Mickelson stated he respects Tiger Woods‘ opinion on LIV Golf after the 15-time main champion stated those that joined the breakaway sequence had “turned their again on what has allowed them to get to this place.”
Mickelson carded even-par Thursday in his first spherical at The Open at St. Andrews. Whereas it is the one hundred and fiftieth version of the well-known championship, the recent subject this week has been in regards to the ongoing dispute among the many numerous stakeholders over LIV Golf and the golfers who defected to the brand new sequence.
When requested Tuesday about LIV Golf, Woods stated, “I disagree with it. I believe that what they’ve performed is that they’ve turned their again on what has allowed them to get to this place.”
“I actually respect his opinion,” Mickelson stated Thursday. “I’ve lots of respect for him. I respect his opinion. I believe all people’s going to have sturdy feelings and opinions about it, and I actually respect his.”
Mickelson didn’t attend the one hundred and fiftieth Open celebrations earlier within the week, together with the Monday’s Celebrations of Champions and Tuesday’s champions’ dinner. Earlier winners of The Open had been invited, and regardless of taking the 2013 Open at Muirfield, Mickelson was a notable absentee.
“The R&A contacted me a pair weeks earlier than and stated, ‘Look, we do not assume it is an excellent thought you go [to the celebrations], however if you wish to, you possibly can,'” Mickelson stated. “I simply did not wish to make an enormous deal about it, so I stated high-quality. We each form of agreed that it might be greatest if I did not.”
Mickelson additionally missed the champions’ dinners on the Masters and the PGA Championship.
Regardless of the behind-the-scenes disagreements over the way forward for the game after the introduction of LIV Golf, Mickelson stated he “could not be happier” together with his determination to affix the brand new sequence, which is being financed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Funding Fund.
“I made the suitable determination for me,” Mickelson stated. “And I am enthusiastic about, like I say, having the chance to play aggressive golf and have it in my life in a extra average scale to the place I can do some issues outdoors of that too. I freed up lots of different — freed up lots of time as nicely.
“I could not be happier. I believe it has been actually good. I can not wait to get to New Jersey and play one other occasion there. The participant expertise, the expertise of these occasions from a participant standpoint is a ten. You possibly can’t get it any higher. Look, it isn’t my job to elucidate or provide help to perceive or no matter. It is simply, I could not be happier.”
Whereas Mickelson acquired a respectful response from the group at St. Andrews, Ian Poulter — who additionally performs within the LIV sequence — was booed on the primary tee by a handful of spectators. He carded a 3-under 69 on Thursday and stated he “did not hear one” when requested in regards to the booing.
“I truly thought I had an excellent reception on the primary tee, to be trustworthy,” Poulter stated. “All I heard was clapping.”
The Ryder Cup veteran additionally stated he had not learn any feedback from the R&A this week, after CEO Martin Slumbers criticized LIV Golf on Wednesday. However Poulter did say that he hopes the variations between the varied stakeholders will be resolved.
“I might hope so, however cleverer persons are clearly on the prime of the tree than I’m,” Poulter stated. “I left college at 15. I might have thought intelligent folks may determine this out — clearly not.”
Poulter additionally stated he had acquired no animosity from his fellow execs, regardless of high-profile golfers like Woods and Rory McIlroy talking out towards the LIV sequence.
“I’ve heard nice feedback, nice talks with everybody,” Poulter stated. “We’d have a distinction of opinion, however they’re my associates. You play golf with these guys for 20-plus years or 10, 15 years, you have been a part of many groups with them.
“Even when they’ve a distinction of opinion, that is that. All of us have opinions, proper? We’re nonetheless associates, regardless of the panorama is and wherever you are taking part in golf.”
