Phil Mickelson & Co. withdraw from LIV lawsuit against PGA

After months of bitterness towards the PGA Tour following their departure, it appears as though many of the LIV Golf players are finally turning the page and focusing on the next phase of their career.

Recent news indicated that 4 golfers, most notably Phil Mickelson, intend to drop out of the lawsuit against Jay Monahan and the PGA Tour. Mickelson will be joined by Talor Gooch, Ian Poulter, and Hudson Swafford who are all dropping the lawsuit.

The lawsuit against the PGA Tour accused them of illegally suspending any golfer choosing to play in a LIV Golf event, essentially claiming they were discouraging open competition.

The number of golfers still proceeding with the suit is slowly starting to dwindle after Abraham Ancer and three others had already elected to drop the case several weeks ago.

DeChambeau remains part of the LIV antitrust suit against the PGA Tour.

While many of the LIV players have chosen to drop out already, golfers such as Bryson DeChambeau and Matt Jones still remain part of the lawsuit that is set to proceed as scheduled, and according to LIV Golf, the suit still has its merit.

"“Nothing has changed. The merits of the case, the PGA Tour’s anti-competitive conduct, still stand and will be fully tested in court. And we look forward to that. LIV stands with the players whom the PGA Tour has treated so poorly, but we also recognize that to be successful, we no longer need a wide array of players to be on the suit. We have our players’ backs and will press our case against the PGA Tour’s anti-competitive behavior.”"

This whole thing has been an ongoing battle between the two rival tours. Jay Monahan and his staff have been adamant since LIV Golf’s inception that they would not tolerate any golfer that chooses to make the switch.

The suspensions came quickly and will continue to come as more players elect to leave. This is a battle that will only continue as the months go by.

"“A prospect of peace between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf? It is out of the question. I think I was quite clear, there is also a legal battle going on, so I think it is totally useless to add more.” -Jay Monahan"

While Phil Mickelson made the tough decision to step away from the lawsuit, it does not mean that he is done voicing his opinion.

Even though he was one of the first golfers to make the transition, the American star would love to see a day where both Tours co-exist saying:

"“The best solution is for us to come together. I think that the world of professional golf has a need for the old historical ‘history of the game’ product that the PGA Tour provides. I think that LIV provides a really cool, updated feel that is attracting a lot of younger crowds. Both are good for the game of golf and the inclusion of LIV Golf in the ecosystem of the golf world is necessary. As soon as that happens, we all start working together. It’s going to be a really positive thing for everyone.”"

We will have to see how this lawsuit plays out in court. We know that this battle will most likely drag out, so the result could depend on which side is the most persistent. It may be tough for LIV Golf, however, especially after Greg Norman’s early failure in front of Congress.