Phil Mickelson Hints At A Tiger Woods-Like Schedule While Claiming He Could 'Step Aside' From LIV Golf Duties
The year 2024 has not necessarily been kind to Phil Mickelson. The Hall of Famer has managed just one Top 20 finish in 11 starts on LIV Golf this season and Hyflyers GC, the LIV team he captains, sits 12th out of 13 teams in the league. On top of that, the undefeated Father Time has reared his ugly head again with Mickelson turning 54 back in June.
The lefty's game isn't anywhere close to being where it needs to be to even come close to contending on LIV Golf and certainly not on major championship stages. With that being the reality he finds himself in these days, it brings up the question of whether or not he's the right person to be leading a LIV team.
Mickelson is undoubtedly still one of the most popular golfers walking the planet. But popularity without results on what is still a very young golf league with presumably billions of dollars on the table isn't exactly an ideal situation.
Credit to Mickelson, because he knows that. Speaking with the media ahead of next week's LIV event in West Virginia, he spoke about realistic expectations and how he would be willing to step aside for a new captain of the HyFlyers.
"I see glimpses and my teammates see glimpses of me being where I expect to be able to compete at this level, but I’m also realistic with myself, and if I’m not able to, I’ll step aside and let somebody come on in and take the HyFlyers to new levels," Mickelson explained.
"At 54, my schedule and my desires are going to be totally different than most of the players," Mickelson added. "So, bigger picture, we have to do what’s best for the players on LIV and the best for the players throughout the game of golf and not just focus on a 54-year-old, so my desires aren’t really relevant," he continued.
Phil Mickelson may step aside from LIV Golf duties, but that doesn't mean he's ready to retire. Lucas Peltier-USA TODAY Sports
Phil Mickelson Struggling, But Not Finished
While some took Mickelson's admissions as a potential hint that he is mulling retirement, that simply will not be the case. We can't forget that Mickelson is less than three years removed from winning a PGA Championship and followed that up with a T-2 finish in the 2023 Masters.
It sounds as if a Tiger Woods-like schedule, where he only plays in the majors and maybe one to three LIV events down the line, could be in play for Mickelson's near future.
"I’m in every major on the regular tour next year, and I’ll be in three of the four majors for the next six, seven years. I would love to compete and give myself a chance to win in those, and I also want to build this out and create a culture that is sustainable and that people strive to be a part of," Mickelson explained.
The signs of the Woods-Mickelson era coming to a close have been apparent for years now, but 2025 very well could be the moment that the entire sports world has to look back on those two decades and wave goodbye.