Phil Mickelson Breaks Silence With Social-Media Post, Says He's Ready for 'Fresh Start'

Posting for the first time since the apology on Feb. 22 that preceded his four-month exile, the 51-year-old reiterated his belief in LIV Golf.

Phil Mickelson's return to golf became official on Tuesday with a press release from LIV Golf announcing his participation in the startup league's opening event this week outside London.

The six-time major champion took to social media a short time later, further explaining his decision to play while also apologizing for comments that came to light in February that led to his prolonged absence.

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— Phil Mickelson (@PhilMickelson) June 6, 2022

"First and foremost, I want to again apologize to the many people I offended and hurt with my comments a few months ago. ... Taking time away and self-reflecting has been very humbling," Mickelson said.

Mickelson had been highly critical of the PGA Tour, referring in a February Golf Digest story to “obnoxious greed’’ and quoted in a story in the Fire Pit Collective that he was using the Greg Norman-fronted league as leverage against the Tour.

The subsequent fallout resulted in one of Mickelson's major sponsors, KPMG, reaching a deal to end its sponsorship agreement. Longtime equipment sponsor Callaway paused its relationship with Mickelson.

Mickelson did not play in the Masters and was not at last month's PGA Championship to defend his 2021 title. When he tees it up on Thursday in the first round of the three-round LIV Golf event, it will be his first competition since Feb. 6, the final round of the Saudi International tournament.

"I am ready to come back to play the game I love but after 32 years this path is a fresh start, one that is exciting for me at this stage of my career and is clearly transformative, not just for myself, but ideally for the game and my peers. I also love the progressive format and think it will be exciting for fans," Mickelson said. 

Mickelson also said: "I intend to play the majors." He has not won a U.S. Open, and next week the U.S. Open will be held at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts.