DUBLIN (Ohio) — It’s surprising that Jon Rahm shrugged his shoulders when he heard Phil Mickelson. It is not often one of golf’s most controversial figures gets a tepid response.
Rahm knows Mickelson, a member of LIV Golf, well enough to understand the deal. Lefty, on the other hand, is playing the role of company man by slamming the PGA Tour in social media.
Listen, Phil is my friend, but what more is he going say? “Right?” replied the winner of the 2020 Memorial Tournament. “He will obviously advocate for his own side and that is perfectly fine.”
Mickelson has recently tweeted that playing less events on the LIV Tour allows players to stay fresher before the majors.
He tweeted: “Love it or hate it, LIV is the best tour to help you be the best at the majors.” “Enough events will keep you fresh, ready and sharp. But not too many to wear you down. There are 14 LIV events and 34 weeks to prepare for 4 majors. Fact.”
Mickelson posted his message after Brooks Koepka, a LIV player who won the PGA Championship in Rochester, New York on May 21, had been announced as winner of the PGA Championship.
Rahm then went on to correct the record, at least in relation to him.
He said that there are many ways to prepare yourself for a competition. “I played in 19 events last season… I don’t feel any different. I’ve heard comments about LIV guys being better rested, and if that is true, then good for him.
“I don’t know. It’s difficult to say. There have been many different approaches to major tournament golf. Phil used to play every week. Tiger and Jack did not play the week prior. Who says that one way is superior to another?”
Rahm was disappointed that Sergio Garcia, a fellow Spaniard from the LIV, will not be a part of Team Europe. The PGA of America banned LIV members from participating in the match-play event between the U.S.A. and Europe.
“I’m going miss him.” “I’m going mention history… a Spanish pair in the Ryder Cup has been embedded into the Ryder Cup roots,” he said. He was referring to the successful pairing between Seve Ballesteros, and Jose Maria Olazabal. “I find it sad that politics has interfered with such a beautiful tournament. It’s the very best Europeans versus the very best Americans.
“It shouldn’t matter to me who plays LIV or who doesn’t play LIV. I find it hard to believe that the greatest player Europe ever had and the most successful Ryder Cup player Europe had is not fit to be in the team. There are a few Spanish players who are playing well right now. I hope they will join me in the team.”
The Ryder Cup, of course, has no cut. Rahm does not like the idea of other tournaments adopting this policy, as it may happen if the Tour has its way.
The Tour has already announced that starting in 2024, the designated tournaments of the Tour will have limited fields and no cut. This means every player will compete all four rounds rather than exiting after 36-holes if their score was not good enough.
Tiger Woods who hosts the Genesis Invitational wants to see a cut in his tournament. He also thinks that the Memorial and Arnold Palmer Invitational Bay Hill, which are both elevated events, should also have cuts.
Rahm agreed but did not always.
He said, “I’ve been back and forth about this issue.” “At first, I advocated for no-cut. “The more time has passed, the more I am advocating a cut.”
What has changed?
He said, “You have to earn your way in and then earn the win.” “I mean, the Friday feeling was different when I was trying to make it into the team. It’s different pressure.”
