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Phil Mickelson Responds to Tiger Woods’ LIV Criticism

Longtime PGA rival Phil Mickelson reacted to the video of Tiger Woods taking swings again following his long recovery from a single-car crash

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FL - MAY 11: Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson walk the fairway together during THE PLAYERS Championship on May 11, 2018 at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fl. (Photo by David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire)

Tiger talks, and Phil reacts.

Phil Mickelson said he respects Tiger Woods’ opinion on LIV Golf after the 15-time major champion said those who joined the breakaway series had “turned their back on what has allowed them to get to this position.”

When asked Tuesday about LIV Golf, Woods said, “I disagree with it. I think that what they’ve done is they’ve turned their back on what has allowed them to get to this position.”

Phil was asked about Tiger’s opinion.

“I certainly respect his opinion,” Mickelson said Thursday. “I have a lot of respect for him. I respect his opinion. I think everybody’s going to have strong emotions and opinions about it, and I certainly respect his.”

Mickelson said he “couldn’t be happier” with his decision to join the new series, which is being financed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.

“I made the right decision for me,” Mickelson said. “And I’m excited about, like I say, having the opportunity to play competitive golf and have it in my life in a more moderate scale to where I can do some things outside of that too. I freed up a lot of other — freed up a lot of time as well.

“I couldn’t be happier. I think it’s been really good. I can’t wait to get to New Jersey and play another event there. The player experience, the experience of those events from a player standpoint is a 10. You can’t get it any better. Look, it’s not my job to explain or help you understand or whatever. It’s just, I couldn’t be happier.”

Mickelson did not attend the 150th Open celebrations earlier in the week, including the Monday’s Celebrations of Champions and Tuesday’s champions’ dinner.

But at least he got paid handsomely to play in LIV.

He made his choice.


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