‘I Don’t Think He Realizes What He’s Doing to His Legacy’: Famous American Sportswriter Has Bold Words for Phil Mickelson Aligning With LIV Golf

Tiger Woods is almost everyone’s favorite golfer. Woods has more than 100 title wins across the world. But, when it comes down to mannerisms on and off-field, Phil Mickelson is everyone’s go-to person, the same reason the famous writer Rick Riley became his fan. However, with the 52-year-old joining the LIV Golf, the writer feels nothing but disappointment toward his favorite golfer.

“It just depresses me. I don’t think he realizes what he’s doing to his legacy,” Rick Riley said. He discussed Mickelson joining the Saudi Arabia-backed league for money and leaving his legacy behind in the Rich Eisen Show. 

Rick Riley criticized Mickelson for taking money from LIV Golf!

“Saudi Arabia started a rival golf league, and they’re paying stupid money,” Riley further said. He took the opportunity to critique how the league pays millions of money to golfers as an appearance fee as it is easy money, and the golfer doesn’t necessarily need to play good golf to win it. 

Notably, Phil Mickelson received around $200 million as part of his contract with the league. Meanwhile, LIV Golf paid other prominent players like Bryson DeChambeau and Dustin Johnson more than $100 million as an appearance fee. 

Riley also expressed his frustration with the golfers playing for a league whose government had been facing many controversies regarding human rights violations. “They never go, I’m doing it for the money,” the New York Times bestselling author said on the Rich Eisen Show. 

Read more: When Phil Mickelson Named His ‘3 Biggest Professional Regrets’

“Like Phil goes, ‘I know they have been bad. I know they made some mistakes. But golf can do a lot of good,'” he explained how Mickelson responded to the controversies regarding the Saudi government. 

As a “Phil guy,” Rick Riley sounded very disappointed with Mickelson’s move to switch leagues. He expressed his anger and frustration in knowing how his favorite golfer left all his legacy behind for money! 

Phil Mickelson, his legacy with the PGA Tour

Mickelson turned professional in 1992 and joined the PGA Tour in the same year. Ever since then, Lefty has won 45 PGA titles, including six majors. 

He has also played in the PGA Tour Champions, the senior tour for American golfers, and won 4 titles. Notably, Lefty won his first Tour Champions title in his debut tournament, making him the 20th golfer to do so. 

Mickelson built a 30-year-old legacy on the PGA Tour. However, he broke it when he left for the money from LIV Golf and made his probably no. 1 fan Rick Riley disappointed. Did you feel the same when Lefty joined the Saudi-backed league?

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