Unlike Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson doesn’t have much say in the $3 billion PGA Tour and PIF merger. Woods has always been at the center of the negotiations as he is the vice chairman of the PGA Tour Entreprise and a member of the transaction committee. But Lefty has little say in anything as PIF’s representatives and Yasir Al-Rumayyan take the lead. After this, one may think that Mickelson doesn’t hold much importance in leading forward the breakaway circuit, but that is not the entire truth.

In the background, the 45-time PGA Tour winner does more to grow the league and attract new talent. Well, that was the case for Branden Steele’s debut on LIV Golf. In the latest episode of the Fairway to Heaven podcast, the 41-year-old pro revealed how he was cast in the league. Steele revealed that even before it was confirmed that he would be on the same team as Mickelson and Cameron Tringale. Once, Lefty called him and said, ” ‘Look, I wanted to run something by you before I went any different direction. I wasn’t sure if you would be interested or whatever.’ ”

This was before the 2023 LIV Golf season started and during this conversation, Mickelson convinced Steele of what a great opportunity it would be to play in the disruptive league. He later thought, “Everything that lined up, was like this is a perfect opportunity, I can’t pass on it. I can’t pass on it.” However, Steele accepted that he was still nervous, as he had never played any LIV Golf event or seen one. But after teeing up in Mayakoba, the 3-time PGA Tour winner got comfortable easily and has been a part of the league since then.

In the podcast, talking about his decision, Steele said, “The opportunity to play with Phil is too good to pass on, and Cameron being one of my best friends it was an easy choice.” And this shows that though Mickelson doesn’t take a leading part in the PGA Tour and PIF merger, he still is arguably the best spokesperson they have. Securing Steele in the breakaway circuit was not the only golfer that he helped get signed to LIV Golf, the biggest signing of the PIF-backed circuit to date, was allegedly also the brainchild of Phil Mickelson.

Phil Mickelson may have influenced this 2-time major champion

In December 2023, LIV Golf signed the biggest signing of its history of rumored $566 million with Jon Rahm. It was a huge deal for the breakaway circuit and a seismic one for the entire golf world. During that time, it was rumored that Rahm’s defection to LIV Golf was influenced by Phil Mickelson because Lefty had been a prominent figure in the Spaniard’s life and someone he looked up to.

Then, a Golf Digest report revealed that a PGA Tour pro expressed that Mickelson sold him the idea of LIV Golf as the 2-time major winner was loyal to the PGA Tour before. The insider said, “Jon clearly fell for whatever Phil Mickelson was selling him.” This rumor was cleared by Rahm as he denied that claim. But the PGA Tour pro insisted, “Phil and Jon can say all they want about how Phil didn’t influence Jon’s decision…from a player’s perspective, we don’t believe that one bit.” 

Rahm and Mickelson have a long history of friendship and also have the same managing company. Despite the claims, it is still uncertain if Mickelson was behind Rahm’s deal with LIV Golf. But if he was, then it surely is true that Phil Mickelson is a treasure for the growth of the breakaway circuit.