LIV Golf's Phil Mickelson Offers Little on PGA Tour Alliance News: 'I Just Don't Want to Waste Any Energy on It'

One day before his 32nd U.S. Open start, Mickelson declined to say much about the issue that has consumed the sport.

LOS ANGELES — Given his high-profile role in the fracture that enveloped the game with the formation of the LIV Golf League and all that has transpired over the past year, Phil Mickelson’s reaction to the shocking peace agreement that was announced last week is obviously of some interest.

But so far Lefty has remained quiet, aside from a three-word response he posted to his Twitter feed the day the agreement between the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia on June 6: “Awesome day today.’’

Awesome day today 😊 https://t.co/qUwVJiydym

— Phil Mickelson (@PhilMickelson) June 6, 2023

But Mickelson, who turns 53 on Friday, has so far declined to say any more.

During a brief exchange during a practice round on Wednesday Los Angeles Country Club in advance of the U.S. Open, Mickelson said he would prefer to wait.

"I'll be happy to talk later," Mickelson said as he approached the 15th green. "I just don’t want to waste any energy on it at the beginning of the week."

Mickelson mentioned that he still hopes information comes out in discovery, although its unclear what he was referring to as litigation is supposed to be dropped between the two parties. He could have been referring to an ongoing Department of Justice investigation of the PGA Tour or potential pushback from lawmakers who are questioning the PGA Tour’s 501(c)(6) tax-exempt status in the wake of the agreement with the PIF and Saudi Arabia.

"We had talked about doing something but I’d rather not do it this week," Mickelson said of his reaction to the events of the past week. "I'd rather do it later, nothing’s happening anytime soon."

There remain numerous questions about the agreement including who will ultimately be in charge. The PGA Tour, per the agreement, will stand alone as it is now, a non-profit member organization.

Part of the agreement includes a new for-profit entity being referred to as NewCo, with combined assets of the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and LIV Golf, with the PIF as a minority investor. PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan would be the CEO of this entity, with Yasir Al-Rumayyan the chairman. Al-Rumayyan will also have a seat on the PGA Tour Policy Board.

Still to be determined is what happens to LIV Golf. Mickelson is a captain of the HyFlyers, one of 12 teams in the 48-player league that were designed with the intention selling sponsorships and selling as franchises. It was viewed as one way for LIV Golf to recoup of some of its massive investment, with each of the captains retaining a 25 percent equity stake in the team.

For now, LIV Golf is proceeding as normal, with seven events remaining on its schedule including one at Valderrama in Spain beginning on June 30 followed by another a week later outside of London.

Mickelson played a practice round on Wednesday with a trio of Spaniards: fellow LIV golfer David Puig, Masters champion Jon Rahm and Alejandro Del Rey, who plays on the DP World Tour.

For the first two rounds, Mickelson is grouped with Padraig Harrington and Keegan Bradley. They begin at 3:59 p.m. ET on Thursday. This is Mickelson’s 32nd U.S. Open, the only major he has not won. He has six runner-up finishes.