Evidence confirms that Phil Mickelson’s days playing in LIV Golf are over, and Bubba Watson is expected to face the same outcome.
Phil Mickelson’s time playing for LIV Golf may have come to an end, and Bubba Watson might face a similar outcome.
Since joining LIV Golf in 2022, Phil Mickelson has been struggling to find his form. As a six-time major champion, his next step with the breakaway league might involve taking on a non-playing role.
When the current league contracts of Phil Mickelson and Bubba Watson expire, they may join LIV Golf in a non-playing capacity alongside Bubba Watson.
Having demonstrated his loyalty to the Saudi-backed league even before its inaugural event in June 2022, Mickelson played a pivotal role in sparking the exodus of players from the PGA Tour to the LIV setup. The six-time major champion has been a consistent presence on this circuit since then, though it seems that his playing days might be nearing their conclusion.
Alan Shipnuck, Mickelson’s biographer, speculates that the 53-year-old’s upcoming contract with the breakaway league might position him as a non-playing captain.
Greg Norman and his team extended four-year contracts to each of the team captains, including Talor Gooch, the 2023 individual champion. Shipnuck reports that players are set to renegotiate with league management at the close of 2025. There’s a possibility that Mickelson and Watson may step away from on-course competition by then.
After battling to recapture the outstanding form that once established him as one of golf’s legends during his PGA Tour career, Mickelson has managed just 20 top-10 finishes on the LIV circuit. Even Watson, a two-time Masters champion, has faced challenges.
RangeGoats captain Watson has managed just one top-10 finish during his first full season in the Saudi-backed series, with his best LIV performance happening last May in Tulsa. The former Green Jacket winner, who hasn’t been able to regain peak form, has spoken about his future on the circuit.
During his speech at LIV Greenbrier last summer, Watson admitted that he would be open to taking on a supporting role with the RangeGoats if his teammates wanted him to. He mentioned, “I told my team they could let me go and bring in another talented golfer if they felt I wasn’t performing well enough.”
“I’m committed to staying until I’m told otherwise. Supporting these young men is something I truly enjoy, as everyone strives for personal and golfing improvement. In my life, I’ve had the chance to mentor three golfers who are also new fathers, and I’m eager to be there for them and offer help whenever they need it.”
In recent years, Mickelson has vowed to retire from golf, but there’s a twist. The U.S. Open remains the only major championship title he hasn’t secured yet; winning it would finalize his career Grand Slam.
He expressed his desire to conclude his playing career by winning the US Open, a sentiment he shared with Golf Digest in February 2022: “If I win the US Open, I will retire.” This achievement would mark my final competition as it signifies completing my career Grand Slam and leaving me without anything more to prove.
Phil Mickelson’s time playing in the LIV Golf series might be coming to an end, and Bubba Watson could face a similar outcome.
