Rory McIlroy Slams Mickelson, As Saudi Golf League All But Buried

Talk of a breakaway golf league has dominated the news in recent weeks with the proposed Saudi Golf League trying to entice some of the world’s best golfers away with obscene amounts of money. After Sunday though, that dream is all but dead for those who wished it to succeed, Mickelson included.

Phil has made headlines for some outrageous comments over the past few weeks, including calling those behind the scenes “Scary mother f*****s”. He reiterated his stance that this was an opportunity to use as leverage against the PGA Tour after he believed he wasn’t getting a big enough piece of the pie.

There had been plenty of talk about the possible departures of both DeChambeau and Johnson to the Saudi Golf League, but after Sunday that all changed.

On Sunday it emerged that both Bryson DeChambeau and Dustin Johnson would be remaining with the PGA Tour, with both denying reports of their apparent exits for the Saudi Golf League. Dustin ended the speculation over his future earlier in the day saying:

"“Over the past several months, there has been a great deal of speculation about an alternative tour; much of which seems to have included me and my future in professional golf,” Johnson said. “I feel it is now time to put such speculation to rest. I am fully committed to the PGA Tour. I am grateful for the opportunity to play the best tour in the world and for all it has provided me and my family.”"

Soon after the world number six had commented on his speculated move, Bryson DeChambeau followed suit when he tweeted from his official Twitter account saying:

Players such as Jon Rahm, Collin Morikawa, and Rory McIlroy had previously announced their intentions were to remain with the PGA Tour. There continues to be speculation around Adam Scott, Jason Kokrak, Justin Rose, and Ian Poulter, to name a few. But after Sunday it appears that the dream of a rival golf league is ‘dead in the water’ as Rory McIlroy put it.

“Yeah, yeah. Who’s left? Who’s left to go? I mean, there’s no one. It’s
dead in the water in my opinion. Yeah, I just — I just can’t see any reason why anyone would
go,” McIlroy said when asked about the announcements from both Dustin Johnson and Bryson DeChambeau putting an end to it all.

Mcllroy did not hesitate to also share his thoughts on both Phil Mickelson and the leadership behind the scenes of the proposed Saudi Golf League.

“I don’t want to kick someone while he’s down obviously, but I thought they were naive, selfish, egotistical, ignorant,” he said when asked about comments Mickelson had previously made. How this has unfolded will certainly have not been foreseen by Mickelson, but the unwavering comments he has made throughout this whole ordeal were certainly naive, to say the least. Phil counted on the greed of others to sway them to a rival golf league, but it appears that for most there are other priorities apart from money.

The best players want to play with the best players, and that is what the PGA Tour offers.

“We all want to play against the best players in the world” Mcllroy stated.

His thoughts about whether or not he was worried about the proposed tour reiterate just how big Tiger Woods is, regardless of whether he is playing or not, golf revolves around Tiger.

“I mean, being I don’t think they put the right leadership team in from the
start. In all honesty, like the epicenter of the professional world still revolves around Tiger, he
is the epicenter, and if they don’t have him, it doesn’t really — not even if they don’t have him.
Like who knows when he’s going to play again, but if they don’t have his blessing even, it’s
got no chance,” Rory said.

On a day when young Joaquin Niemann got the biggest win of his promising career so far, it seems as though the PGA Tour also was a huge winner, and as for this rival Saudi Golf League, it is all but dead and buried.