Phil Mickelson Calls PGA TOUR “Dictatorship” – Talks Saudi Golf League

There has been a lot of talk the past few weeks about the Saudi Golf League, but Phil Mickelson dropped some bombs on the golf world in his sit down interview in November with Alan Shipnuck of The Fire Pit Collective.

Mickelson told Shipnuck that himself and three other “top players” had paid for attorneys to write the Saudi Golf League’s operating agreement. The agreement mades sure that the players would have control of all details to do with the league and themselves.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Although Mickelson had part in writing the operating agreement, he did say,

“They’re scary motherf**kers to get involved with. We know they killed [Washington Post reporter and U.S. resident Jamal] Khashoggi and have a horrible record on human rights. They execute people over there for being gay. Knowing all of this, why would I even consider it? Because this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reshape how the PGA Tour operates. They’ve been able to get by with manipulative, coercive, strong-arm tactics because we, the players, had no recourse. As nice a guy as [PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan] comes across as, unless you have leverage, he won’t do what’s right. And the Saudi money has finally given us that leverage. I’m not sure I even want [the SGL] to succeed, but just the idea of it is allowing us to get things done with the [PGA] Tour.”

Mickelson still has two other issues he wants to ensure are fixed on the PGA Tour before he makes a decision which tour he will play on. Those issues are the players having their own media rights to do what they please with and restructuring how the players are currently governed. The PGA Tour currently owns all of its players media rights which Mickelson finds “more than frustrating.”

That’s not all Mickelson had to say on the matter. He said:

“The Tour is sitting on multiple billions of dollars worth of NFTs. They are sitting on hundreds of millions of dollars worth of digital content we could be using for our social media feeds. The players need to own all of that. We played those shots, we created those moments, we should be the ones to profit. The Tour doesn’t need that money. They are already sitting on an $800 million cash stockpile. How do you think they’re funding the PIP? Or investing $200 million in the European Tour? The Tour is supposed to be a nonprofit that distributes money to charity. How the f**k is it legal for them to have that much cash on hand? The answer is, it’s not. But they always want more and more. They have to control everything. Their ego won’t allow them to make the concessions they need to.”

As far as the way the PGA Tour is currently governed, Mickelson said, “The Tour likes to pretend it’s a democracy, but it’s really a dictatorship. They divide and conquer. The concerns of the top players are very different from the guys who are lower down on the money list, but there’s a lot more of them. They use the top guys to make their own situation better, but the top guys don’t have a say.”

Currently on the PGA Tour Policy Board the players are the minority with four of nine seats and the other five seats are held by members of the business world. Phil wants to see the PGA Tour governed more like the U.S. Congress. The Tour’s “middle class” would be the House and the Tour’s biggest stars will be the Senate so that way in Mickelson’s words, “nothing will get done without the approval of both sides.”

Mickelson has even already been in contact with CEO of LIV Golf Investments (Saudi Golf League) about the possibility of a switch.

Norman said:

“We respect each other’s point of view. We understand market value and that the [PGA] Tour works for us, we don’t work for the Tour. Phil asks tough questions. He’s not here to placate anybody. He’s got a mind of his own and his own opinions, which can be incredibly strong and poignant.”

Finally Mickelson said:

“I know 20 guys who want to do this and if the Tour doesn’t do the right thing, there is a high likelihood it’s going to happen.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Although Mickelson makes some very valid and fair points here, some fans seem to believe he is being greedy and the only reason he is trying to join the Saudi Golf League is because he can finally be the face of a tour instead of being stuck in Tiger’s shadow for so many years.

At 51 years old, I believe that Phil just wants the be treated fairly and be able to make as much money as he can so he can retire and never have to worry about money the rest of his life. Maybe he can make that work on the PGA Tour or maybe he can make it work in the Saudi Golf League, I guess we will have to wait and see?

What are your thoughts on Phil’s comments?

Cover Image Via golfdigestme.com