‘Edgy and Louder’: Phil Mickelson Crowns LIV Golf as the ‘Addictive’ Future Factor, Something PGAT Solely Can’t Achieve

LIV Golf has turned many a head over the years. The Saudi-backed league, especially through its unique format, was able to emerge as a competitor for the PGA Tour and DP World Tour in a sport that was known for its traditional nature. However, times are changing, and Phil Mickelson agrees as well!

In a chat with Pat McAfee, the 53-year-old went ahead to highlight the need for a more “fun and edgy” aspect in the game of golf. However, while doing so, he made sure to paint LIV Golf as the ideal solution to the same, all the while alluding to “the greater good!”

Phil Mickelson on LIV Golf’s place in Golf

The six-time major champ, on Wednesday, sat with the sports analyst in a new episode of The Pat McAfee Show on ESPN to explain how there has been an “increasing age demographic” in the “fan base” of the sport. Consequently, he highlighted the need for a “younger” audience, all the while citing the PIF-funded circuit as the perfect answer to the problem.

Adding on, Mickelson made the reason behind the alternate tour intelligible as he said, “There’s a place for a more fun, edgy, and louder presentation in golf, and that’s what we’re trying to do.” Moreover, he also emphasized how the traditional style of golf and the newer “fun” version of the sport “should be working together for the greater good.” Truly an exciting prospect to consider!

But even so, the professional made sure to initially mention the “need” and “desire” for the traditional format before proposing his idea. “These tournaments have been around for a long, long time, they have great history and great reverence,” said the 45-time PGA Tour champ. However, such a format is exactly what led to the sport being popular, especially among the older age group, which, as per the pro, needs to change.

However, he wasn’t alone in prescribing this new kind of format as medicine for the game. A while back, even Rory McIlroy had the same thought, all the while bringing in the IPL style of cricket into the conversation.

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Does Rory McIlroy agree with Phil Mickelson?

The 34-year-old once mentioned how he’d like to see LIV Golf become like the Indian Premier League in cricket. Moreover, he reasoned for his wish, citing the rationale that it would work well with the ecosystem. To clarify, make it a non-disruptive tour.

Moreover, he was all for the idea of the sport focusing a bit more on matchplay while adding a bit of franchise to the mix. “It’s a bit different, and it’s a different format. If they were to do something like that, I think that sounds like fun,” said McIlroy when talking about the Saudi-backed league.

Well, with both the golfers on more or less the same note, coupled with the hope towards the merger, the community would be eagerly looking forward to the future of the sport as well. Nevertheless, one thing is for sure: the landscape of golf is soon set to experience a change!

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