11 November 2023 , 19:34
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Former golf star Frank Nobilo admitted he has been left 'saddened' by Phil Mickelson's public fallout with the PGA Tour and his new-found allegiances with LIV Golf.
Nobilo has become the latest name within professional golf to have his say on Mickelson's decision to leave the PGA Tour in search of pastures new with the LIV setup. Mickelson led the exodus following the Saudi-backed series' formation last summer, and it is fair to say he did not leave quietly.
The six-time major champion's move was a well-documented one, after seemingly overlooking Saudi Arabia's poor human rights record in a bid to take advantage of a 'once in a lifetime opportunity' to 'reshape' the PGA Tour in an interview with Fire Pit Collective.
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Mickelson's controversial comments all but ended his 30-year relationship with the PGA Tour, just months after becoming the sport's oldest major champion with victory at the PGA Championship. For Nobilo, Mickelson's dramatic switch was a tough pill to swallow.
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"I look at that Phil — as a contemporary as well; I played a lot against him — that I admire his skill and ability," he told the Five Clubs Podcast. "And then I see the statesman role, which is really what it is now, and it’s very disastrous. It saddens me.
"The books that are written, and obviously at the moment we’re only hearing the bad stuff about Phil — they’re all true, to be honest. I’ve suffered with Phil, whether it’s a Presidents Cup on the other side and some of the things that I know how he can behave."
Mickelson's fallout has split opinion in the sport, with his once glittering legacy as a fan favourite now tarnished. For Nobilo, it makes the HyFlyers captain's switch even more difficult to take. "I also know that for our own foundation, for example, if we ask for a Masters flag to be signed by Phil, Phil and Amy [Mickelson’s wife] used to send two back, not one.
Phil Mickelson's Saudi switch was a well documented one (AP)"Sadly, Phil is always going to be — there’s dual personalities, and it’s a shame. That’s the tragic part of it right now." In the year-and-a-half that has followed Mickelson's move, his stance against the PGA Tour has only strengthened, even after it was announced earlier this summer that the two tours were set to join forces as part of soon-to-be-signed off framework agreement.
For now negotiations remain ongoing, and both LIV and the PGA Tour are set to continue working separately in 2024. Even with a proposed peace treaty in sight, Mickelson once again stirred the pot, claiming that he has been taking calls from Tour players wanting to follow in his footsteps and join the LIV setup.
"When players look at LIV, they are wanting to be a part of it," he claimed. "Everybody here is happy and enjoying what we are doing and enjoying the team aspect of it and enjoying each other and the camaraderie and enjoying playing golf globally and all the benefits that come with playing this tour.
"There's a lot of players that see that and want to be a part of it. The question is how many spots are available? There's a lot more players that want to come than there are spots."