There might not be many things that the golf world can agree on, but the one thing that is seen in common is everyone here has the art of having strong opinions. That’s exactly what happened when LIV Golfer, Phil Mickelson was asked if he wanted to be a Ryder Cup captain or even vice-captain someday. While a lot of his fans are desperately waiting for the golfer to take the step, Mickelson himself seems to be having other plans.

So, is Mickelson really not interested in being a captain in the Ryder Cup anymore? Well, yes. According to a report by Reuters, Mickelson has decided he doesn’t want to be the captain of the US Ryder Cup team in 2025. Yes, you read it right, but you will not believe the reason he gave for his decision.

Phil Mickelson believes he is not the ‘best leader’ for Team USA

Phil Mickelson has ruled himself out of contention for vice-captain for the 2025 Ryder Cup. This came as a surprise to everyone, but the golfer believes that he wouldn’t be a good leader as many PGA Tour players are unhappy with him for joining the LIV golf tour. “The players on the PGA Tour, there’s a lot of hostilities towards me, and I don’t feel I’d be the best leader for them”, he said. Mickelson joined the Saudi-backed league in 2022 and he did face his fair share of criticism from the fans and the players.

Mickelson is a six-time major champion and has had great success in the years he has played for Team USA in the Ryder Cup. He played for the US team from 1995 to 2018 and was vice-captain in 2021. However, he didn’t play in 2023 which was the first his first year with LIV after leaving the PGA Tour and as stated earlier the golfer thinks many people will not like him as a captain which would make it hard for him to bring the team together. “I knew I was going to take some hits going forward, and I’m OK with that. And as a divisive individual, I don’t think I’m the best unifier going forward for the Ryder Cup, and that’s fine because I’ve had so many great memories with it”, he said. But Team USA has surely been seen struggling in the past years.

The US team gave a very poor performance in the last Ryder Cup which ultimately resulted in them suffering a significant loss to Europe. The 2023 duel at the Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Rome, Italy was won by Europe with a score of 16 1⁄2–11 1⁄2. Captain Zach Johnson faced heavy criticism for the team’s poor showing after the match ended. So, it’s pretty safe to say that Team USA can use some new guidance. Johnson was removed from the captain chair for the 2025 Ryder Cup and in contrast, the European team has reappointed Luke Donald as captain for 2025. This makes Donald to be the first repeated captain for Team Europe since Bernard Gallacher led the team for three straight years in 1991, 1993, and 1995.

Not only that, but 2025 Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley also gave some weight to Mickelson’s decision.

Keegan Bradley thinks Phil Mickelson is not ‘really interested’ in being a captain

U.S. Ryder Cup captain, Bradley has said many times that he wants to select the best 12 players for the 2025 team and has made himself clear that he does not care about which tour the players play for. The PGA of America has also approved of LIV Golf as an official tour which directly supports Keegan Bradley’s decision on the US Ryder Cup team selection. As a result, LIV Golf players gain A-3 PGA membership and become eligible for the US Ryder Cup team and PGA Championship.

However, Bradley still remains unsure about whether Mickelson wants to be a part of the game next year or not, and his latest press conference in Manhattan only proved it to be true. “To be honest, I haven’t gotten that far, ” said Bradley when asked about the same.  Despite their past partnership in the 2012 and 2014 Ryder Cups, Bradley is still covered with clouds of doubts about Mickelson’s interest in participating, either as a player or vice-captain. “I personally don’t think he’s really interested in doing it. I owe a lot to Phil and I think he’s done so much for the American side of the Ryder Cup, but I’m not so sure he’s looking to come in as a vice-captain”, he continued. So, do you think Team USA needs Phil Mickelson to win the 2025 Ryder Cup? Let us know in the comment section below!