Voice over: Michael Robles
Writer: James Corrigan
Video editor: Lance Keller
Phil Mickelson has warned the PGA Tour that there will
“undoubtedly” be another exodus of the circuit’s players to
the LIV Golf League, regardless of the ongoing merger
negotiations with the Public Investment Fund (PIF). And
Ian Poulter believes that the same will apply to the DP
World Tour, as well.
So much
for the truce
. Uneasy does not begin to describe
it. In the “framework agreement” that took everyone by
surprise
when announced in June
, there was a clause
agreed between PIF – LIV’s Saudi bankrollers – and the
two Tours that, while the deal-making was afoot, LIV
would not try to entice any more superstars, and would not
even
attempt to “solicit” their signatures.
This stipulation, however, was quietly dropped by the
respective parties a month later when the US Department
of Justice expressed its concerns on anti-competition
grounds. That means LIV is essentially free to resume its
entreaties and so add to the roster which includes the likes
of Cam Smith, Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson, Bryson
DeChambeau
and Mickelson, himself.
And the latter is convinced that the breakaway league will
do exactly this after the 2023 season concludes here at
the $50 million team finale at Trump Doral on Sunday.
“LIV needs to keep evolving,” Mickelson said. “But we
have only been around a year and a half and look at the
quality of players that we have already. And that’s going to
continue to improve next year and it’s going to continue to
improve the following year.”
Does he therefore think that more players will jump ship.
“Do I think that?” he replied to Telegraph Sport. “No. I
KNOW that’s going to happen. When players look at LIV,
they are wanting to be a part of it. Everybody here is
happy and enjoying what we are doing and enjoying the
team aspect of it and the camaraderie and all the benefits
that come with playing this tour.
“The reality is, I’ve been fielding calls, as we all have, from
players who are free agents to PGA Tour players who
want to come over. So the question is how many spots are
available? There’s a lot more players that want to come
than there are spots.”
But what about the discussions under way to unify the
professional male game? “I think those merger talks allow
and kind of opens the door for that,” Mickelson responded.
The six-time major winner’s last claim will, at the very
least, be news to the DP World Tour. LIV’s qualifying
event in Abu Dhabi in December – that will feature three
golfers winning berths on to the 2024 roster – and that will
be the first real test of the supposed new harmony, as it is
being staged
the same week as the Alfred Dunhill
Championship in
South Africa
.
That means any Tour member will need a release from
Wentworth HQ and, with no formal agreement with PIF,
and considering all the legal battles over the past 18
months, it is hardly likely that Keith Pelley will acquiesce.
The Tour chief executive handed out £100,000 fines and
one-tournament bans to all those players who appeared
without permission in the LIV Series event in June 2022,
and even if the punishment is not as severe on this
occasion, and it could be harsher still, there would almost
definitely be recrimination.
Certainly,
Poulter does not expect the green light
to be
shown, but he still thinks there will be “a great deal of
interest”. “I am not going to give any names, but we’ve
been contacted about players wanting to join,” Poulter told
Telegraph Sport here on Wednesday.
“And that’s no surprise. Think about it, they’ll probably get
fined, but if a player takes that chance, pays say $50,000
or whatever, then he makes it into the top three then he
will earn minimum $1.75 million in 14 events in 2024.
That’s minimum. Even if they shoot level 80s every week.
“It’s $20 million purses and then the prizes from the team
events on top and you’re playing against the likes of
Brooks, DJ, Cam, Talor [Gooch] every week? If you’re on
the DP World Tour then you’d be mad not to back yourself
and have a go. It’s a different level.”
The pervading wisdom is that it could remain a different
entity, as well. It is widely accepted
that not only will the
negotiations be concluded in time for the December 31
deadline and then be extended, but also that LIV’s 2024
schedule will go ahead.
With billionaire US investors reportedly ready to back the
PGA Tour, the possibility of an ultimate breakdown in the
mooted marriage with the Saudis looms ever larger. In that
case, Mickelson and Poulter are clearly of the mind that
LIV would be just getting started.
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