Phil Mickelson addresses LIV Golf controversy at U.S. Open, hopes to play on PGA Tour again

BROOKLINE -- Phil Mickelson is not quite at peace with the potential of never again playing on the PGA Tour.

The international golf superstar addressed an overflow of reporters on Monday at The Country Club, as he prepares to play in the 31st U.S. Open of his long and storied career. Never before, though, had Mickelson arrived facing such scrutiny, as he's currently suspended from the PGA for his decision to join the LIV Tour.

"I am, again, very appreciative of the many memories, opportunities, friendships, relationships the PGA Tour has provided. And those are gonna last a lifetime," Mickelson answered when asked if he will be at peace if he never again plays in a PGA event. "But I'm hopeful that I'll have a chance to create more."

Mickelson arrived in Boston fresh off competing in the first-ever LIV event in London, where he finished tied for 33rd in the field of 48 golfers. The event marked a significant disruption to the world of professional golf, with the PGA indefinitely suspending all LIV participants for their participation in the new league, which has the deep financial backing of the Saudi Arabia sovereign wealth fund. (That suspension, of course, does not apply to non-PGA Tour events, such as the U.S. Open and the British Open, in which Mickelson will compete next month in Scotland.)

Among the flood of criticisms of Mickelson was a letter sent to the golfer and other LIV participants from 9/11 Families United, a coalition of families and survivors of the 9/11 attack.

"Most egregiously, it is the Kingdom [of Saudi Arabia] that has spent 20 years in denial: lying about their activities, and cowardly dodging the responsibility they bear," wrote Terry Strada, the national chair of the coalition. "Yet these are your partners, and much to our disappointment, you appear pleased to be in business with them."

Mickelson was asked directly for his response to Strada and the 9/11 Families United.

"I would say to the Strada family, I would say to everyone that has lost loved ones, lost friends in 9/11, that I have deep, deep empathy for them. I can't emphasize that enough," Mickelson answered after first requesting that the reporter ask the question in a more expeditious fashion. "I have the deepest of sympathy and empathy for them."

At the end of his 20-plus-minute press conference, Mickelson was asked if he plans to personally write or speak to the families of the coalition privately. Mickelson didn't answer the question, but mostly repeated his answer from earlier.

"I think I speak for pretty much every American in that we feel the deepest of sympathy and the deepest of empathy for those that have lost loved ones, friends in 9/11. It affected all of us, and those that have been directly affected, I think I can't emphasize enough how much empathy I have for them."

Mickelson had previously expressed his own concerns about the financial backers of the Saudi-funded tour, but has since shared no such worries. PGA commissioner Jay Monahan, a Belmont native, reiterated the PGA's stance against the LIV in a TV interview on Sunday.

"I would ask any player who has left or any player who would ever consider leaving, 'Have you ever had to apologize for being a member of the PGA Tour?'" Monahan rhetorically asked when discussing the moral and ethical quandaries assumed when accepting the big payouts from the LIV.

Mickelson declined to publicly respond to Monahan's comments, only stating that he's agreed with some of the PGA's decisions over the years while disagreeing with others. 

With regard to his expected reception from the large galleries that will line the fairways and surround the greens and tee boxes all week, Mickelson said he respects anyone who has decided to stop cheering for him.

"In regards to if fans would leave or whatnot, I respect and I understand their opinions, and I understand that they have strong feelings and strong emotions regarding this choice. And I certainly respect them, and I respect that," Mickelson said. "I think the Boston crowds are some of the best in sports, and I think that they have given me a lot of support. I'm very appreciative of that over the years. And I think that their excitement and energy is what creates such a great atmosphere. So whether it's positive or negative towards me directly, I think it's going to provide an incredible atmosphere to hold this championship. I think it's gonna be a great event, and the people here have a lot to do with that."

Mickelson also offered little in the way of reaction to Tour players like Rory McIlroy who have been highly critical of LIV Golf.

"I certainly respect [McIlroy]. I respect his ideas. I respect all the players that choose to stay on the PGA Tour," Mickelson said. "I certainly think extremely highly of many of the players on the PGA Tour and their right to their own decisions."

Mickelson admitted that he's made mistakes in his past by being vocal about his opinions regarding the sport's governing bodies, and that he intends to work on only voicing those opinions "behind closed doors." He also addressed his gambling addiction, stating he used his four-month hiatus from golf to address such areas of his life.

"I also continued to work on some areas that I'm deficient of in my life. I mean, the obvious one is gambling. I've been working on that for years, and I'm very happy with where I'm at with that," Mickelson said. "But I'll have to continue to work on that the rest of my life. And this time allowed me to kind of sit still and work on these areas."

While Mickelson spoke comfortably about the financial incentive to join LIV Golf as well as the way he believes the new enterprise will "grow the game," he did indicate that he has an issue with being suspended from the PGA Tour.

"I've worked hard to earn a lifetime membership," Mickelson said. "I've worked hard to give back to the PGA Tour and the game of golf throughout my 30-plus years of professional golf. And I've earned that lifetime membership, so I believe that it should be my choice."

Thus far, that choice does not belong to Mickelson. Unlike many of his fellow LIV Golf participants, Mickelson has not relinquished that PGA Tour membership, with the hope and perhaps the expectation that he will one day be welcomed back to the tour. That feels more than a bit questionable at the moment, as the position of the PGA Tour on the matter has been painstakingly clear for some time. Nevertheless, the situation in Mickelson's eyes remains unresolved.

Add that to the long list of uncertainty surround Phil Mickelson's place in the game of golf at this moment in time.