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Several Masters champions got together for the Champions Dinner on Tuesday. The event hosted at the Augusta National concluded without much drama despite having PGA Tour legends and a handful of LIV Golf defectors under the same roof.
While the event was brushed aside by many as a regular evening, Nick Faldo has now come out to claim that he had an unsavory experience with Phil Mickelson. According to the legendary golfer, the LIV star was “dead quiet” standing next to him. Taking a swipe at the 53-year-old’s treatment of him, Faldo said he wondered why the latter avoided him.
Speaking to the media at the Masters about his experience with Phil Mickelson at the Champions Dinner, Nick Faldo said:
“Phil Mickelson was very quiet on Tuesday; he didn’t say a word. He was dead quiet, standing next to me. I wonder why.”
It is pertinent to note that Faldo, who has won three Masters titles to his name like Phil Mickelson, has been a staunch critic of LIV Golf. The Englishman slammed the Saudi-backed series earlier and claimed that ‘nobody is interested’ in it. He rubbished the framework agreement with the PGA Tour last summer.
Sounding off on LIV Golf, Faldo said last year:
“They’re not going to get the sponsorship that they want. They call it a team (event) and it’s not because it’s stroke play… It’s only half a dozen (players) that are really current, half of the field I don’t really know, and half the field are there for the very nice last-placed money that you still get if you shoot 20-over.”
Nick Faldo slams Jon Rahm’s chances of defending his Masters title
Faldo took a fresh swipe at LIV Golf earlier this week when he talked about Jon Rahm’s chances of defending his Masters title. The ace golfer said that the Spaniard wasn’t in the ideal condition to do it.
The nine-time PGA Tour winner said that Rahm’s been “playing resort courses in his shorts” and he needed to put more effort if he wished to keep his Green Jacket.
Talking to the Sky Sports Golf podcast ahead of the Masters, Nick Faldo said:
“He (Jon Rahm) is a hell of a player, but he’s going to have to make a little bit more effort to step it up and get the right intensity… He has been playing resort courses in his shorts for the last couple of months and hasn’t really been tested yet.”
It is pertinent to note that Rahm is one of the favorites to win this weekend. The LIV golfer has odds of 12-1, according to SportsLine. He was only bested by 2022 champion Scheffler on most odds lists.
Notably, Phil Mickelson wasn't even listed as a longshot favorite. He entered the competition with 100-1 odds, alongside Tiger Woods and Adam Scott.
