Phil Mickelson had around 200 million reasons to sign up for the Saudi-backed LIV Golf tour.
The Post’s Mark Cannizzaro first reported that Mickelson signed with LIV. Golf Channel’s Brentley Romine cites a source as saying Mickelson reached a deal on Saturday worth in the neighborhood of $200 million.
It has been previously reported that Dustin Johnson was paid “around” $125 million to compete in the upstart golf series that is seeking to disrupt the PGA Tour by paying golfers more money — and more guaranteed.
The news that Mickelson is joining LIV follows several months of controversy.
The 51-year-old golfer ripped the PGA Tour’s “obnoxious greed” for the amount of money the sport governing body siphons off, and does not distribute to golfers.
Then, Mickelson downplayed human rights concerns.
“They’re scary mother [expletive] to get involved with,” Mickelson told his biographer Alan Shipnuck in February. “We know they killed [Washington Post reporter Jamal] Khashoggi and have a horrible record on human rights. They execute people over there for being gay. Knowing all of this, why would I even consider it? Because this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reshape how the PGA Tour operates.”
Mickelson, who apologized for the comments and said they had intended to be off the record, went into relative seclusion for several months – missing the PGA Championship, the major he improbably won in 2021.
Mickelson reportedly lost $40 million gambling in a four-year stretch between 2010 and 2014.
LIV Golf is headed by Greg Norman, who has made his own series of controversial remarks about the league’s affiliation with the Saudi government.
The first LIV golf tournament is coming up this week outside London. Competitors aside from Mickelson and Johnson include Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter, Kevin Na, Lee Westwood, Louis Oosthuizen, Martin Kaymer, Charl Schwartzel, Graeme McDowell and Talor Gooch.
The PGA Tour has promised substantial punishment for players who defect, and there have been rumors that the discipline could even include a lifetime ban.
The three majors outside of the PGA Championship – the US Open, Open Championship and Masters – are not sanctioned by the PGA Tour, and it remains to be seen where they will stand as it concerns players who compete in LIV.
Mickelson said in a statement on Monday that he does still plan on competing in the majors. The US Open is next week at Brookline.