Phil Mickelson places doubt on PGA Tour's existence by posing a 'hypothetical' question to his fans

Phil Mickelson has once again confused the fans with his hypothetical question. The golfer recently took to X to ask fans whether the PGA Tour's existence would be jeopardised if LIV Golf starts hosting big and more tournaments. LIV's tournaments now have 54 golfers fighting for the top prize. But what if 120 golfers were competing?

This was Phil Mickelson's question when he asked how a tournament would look if LIV did two shotgun starts per day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. In this approach, the tour will not have to change its original pattern, and the competition will become much more competitive. But where will the extra golfers arrive? And how will this influence the PGA?

Mickelson was baffled by this hypothetical thought, as his comment on X read,

"Here’s a random Monday morning ‘hypothetical’ question. What if LIV went to a 35-event, full 120-person field, dual shotgun start(morning and afternoon), and the current LIV events were the ‘elevated’ events within the schedule? Where would those additional players come from, and what would happen to the PGA Tour then?"

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Phil Mickelson recently competed in the LIV Golf Andalucia, which took place at Real Club Valderrama. The course proved difficult for the golfers, as Mickelson finished the competition tied for 23rd place. He was two over par after three rounds of +1, +1, and E. He was 10 strokes behind the winner, Talor Gooch, who finished with a total score of 8 under par.

Phil Mickelson is aiming to earn his way into the 2026 US Open

Golf: LIV Golf Dallas - First Round - Source: Imagn

Phil Mickelson is considered one of the greatest golfers of all time, and he is on the verge of completing his career grand slam. Mickelson only needs to win the US Open, but he failed this year by missing the cut. Amidst all of this, rumours of Mickelson's retirement are swirling, but during a recent appearance on Athlon Sports, he confirmed his plans.

The golfer stated that he plans to play since he is improving his game. He believes that competing in the other three majors will help him secure a spot in the 2026 US Open. He stated:

"I don't want to say it's my last. I actually think I'm playing well enough that if I can play at the level I've played at out here in majors again, I'll finish high enough to get into a U.S. Open via that qualifying avenue. So I don't want to say that it is my last because I think I'm going to contend in the — I'm in the other three majors for a lot of years, and it could very well get me into the U.S. Open again."

The 2026 US Open will be the tournament's 154th edition, and it will be taking place at Shinnecock Hills.

About the author

Anurag Bhardwaj is a Golf Journalist at Sportskeeda. With over three years of experience writing about various sports, Anurag has drawn inspiration from numerous icons, ranging from WWE’s Roman Reigns to NFL superstar Patrick Mahomes. His passion for storytelling spans across different sports, all while pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Dental Surgery, and he hopes to continue blending both his professions.

A single spark ignited his love for golf, and now he follows the sport with unwavering enthusiasm. Whether it’s the Masters or the Arnold Palmer Invitational, Anurag is always ready for a deep dive into the action. Through his writing, he brings the latest happenings from the golf world straight to the fans' screens. And while he dreams of stepping onto a golf course someday, he remains in awe of Scottie Scheffler’s precision, all while striving to become a great doctor.

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