Multiple major champion Phil Mickelson says Jackson Koivun would look great in a HyFlyers uniform.
The 20-year-old amateur has been extremely impressive during his maiden PGA Tour season, racking up five top-15 finishes from seven starts.
Last week, he threatened to upstage the US Ryder Cup stars at the Procore Championship but ultimately finished three behind champion Scottie Scheffler.
Koivun has already secured his playing rights on the PGA Tour by finishing top of their university programme.
But Mickelson clearly feels Koivun could have a future with the PIF-backed LIV, describing the golfer as “an amazing talent”.
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“And destined for greatness,” Mickelson wrote on X. “He would also look great in a HyFlyers outfit.”
Tongue-in-cheek Mickelson signed off his post with a wink emoji, hinting that he may not be serious.
Koivun, who played a starring role for the US Walker Cup team that thrashed Great Britain and Ireland 17-9 at Cypress Point, won’t be turning professional anytime soon.
He has deferred his PGA Tour membership to study for another year at Auburn.
Phil Mickelson
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Koivun acknowledged last week in California that he’s feeling more comfortable on the biggest stage.
“I feel like I’ve gotten to that point where it’s become easier to play golf on the PGA Tour,” he said.
“The more you put yourself in these situations the easier it is to get comfortable quicker.”
LIV Golf are on the hunt for new players.
Their 2026 campaign begins, as ever, under the lights in Saudi Arabia in February.
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Former Open champion Henrik Stenson, Mito Pereira, Yubin Jang, Anthony Kim and Frederik Kjettrup were among the full-time players that got relegated this season.
In the past, team captains such as Stenson were granted a reprieve – but the rule has been removed.
It is understood the rule change is part of the breakaway’s push to finally achieve accreditation from the Official World Golf Rankings.
As of this week, there are no LIV Golf players inside the OWGR for the first time since the league’s inception.
Which players will LIV Golf target?
LIV Golf’s recruitment drive for the 2025 season saw them make a few new additions.
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Northern Ireland’s Tom McKibbin joined Jon Rahm’s Legion XIII outfit and secured four top-10 finishes on his debut season.
Yubin Jang, Frederik Kjettrup, Luis Masaveu and Josele Ballester also joined.
Jang and Kjettrup got relegated, whilst Masaveu is without a team after he was replaced by Ballester in Sergio Garcia’s outfit.
It wouldn’t be unreasonable to suggest that LIV Golf could target Tony Finau, Jason Day and Tom Kim.
Tom McKibbin
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All three were approached in 2022 and Finau was said to have agreed a move, only for the deal to collapse at the last minute.
Day seemed fairly receptive to a move, but was reportedly told his injury problems meant he wasn’t a good fit.
Perhaps the most important task over the next few weeks for LIV is tying Bryson DeChambeau down to a new contract.
Like Brooks Koepka, DeChambeau’s contact expires at the end of 2026.
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