When golf’s schism happened roughly a year ago, most players tried to strike a neutral pose. ‘This is a business’ and all that jazz. It didn’t last, but they tried., we’re into the open-war phase of engagement. It’s been widely noted that at Thursday’s start, no LIV heavyweights are matched with their PGA Tour equals. Plus, only the PGA’s stars were placed in featured groups. Augusta National isn’t being very subtle about whose side it is on.
I don’t credit the Dustin Johnsons/Brooks Koepkas of the world with much savvy, but they understood they’d crossed a hard border. Mickelson still talks as though he’s off on a professional vacation and that everyone might soon be joining him overseas. Just a couple of weeks ago, Mickelson was speaking of the Masters like a sick man on his way back to Lourdes. He isn’t looking so hot lately. Once a guy who got ribbed for being roly-poly, Mickelson is now just this side of worryingly gaunt. He looks like he isn’t getting much sleep.
It’s not quite two years since he won the PGA Championship, to become the oldest winner of a major. You may remember that walk up the 18th to end it, an enormous crowd roiling around him. That moment in May, 2021 felt like the end of the worst part of the pandemic. The whole point of bringing Mickelson to LIV was so that he could dominate. The Saudis knew they weren’t hiring a spokesperson. What they were counting on was a familiar face appearing regularly in highlight reels.
Normally speaking, there is little tragedy in the case of an athlete who finds him or herself out of favour. People don’t like you any more? Score three goals. They’ll like you again.
cathalkelly if u had balls u would have a Twitter account :)