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Phil Mickelson logged back into Twitter and held no punches back. The six-time Major champion made a tweet on Sunday to slam Rory McIlroy and the Golf Channel in one go.
Mickelson famously indulged in a war of words with McIlroy last year following his move to LIV Golf. The former PGA Tour star took on the World No. 1 multiple times. He continued the attacks on Sunday as he made a sarcastic comment while praising his opponent.
The 52-year-old lauded McIlroy’s lead at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic on the DP World Tour and proceeded to take a jibe at the golf channel covering the event from the Middle East.
Mickelson tweeted:
“What a great -7 3rd round by @McIlroyRory in DUBAI to open up a 3 shot lead. See if he can finish it off. Watch live final round action from the Middle East on the golf channel."
Phil Mickelson slams the Golf Channel
It is pertinent to note that Phil Mickelson joined the Saudi-backed LIV Golf League in 2022. The golfer was among the biggest signings made in the controversial series. Lefty soon became the Saudi-backed series’ spokesperson. Following this, he took multiple jibes at the opposers of the series, which included media organizations that dismissed the series due to its connections with the Saudis.
The star golfer has now returned to the attack on Golf Channel by pointing out that it is covering an event being held in the Middle East. The golfer took a jibe at McIlroy, who was sitting three shots clear in Dubai at the time. Phil Mickelson's tweet pointed out PGA Tour backers and the media agencies’ hypocrisy over events based in the Middle East.
Fans picked up that Mickelson tweet on the Golf Channel, which also relates to his previous clash with one of their analysts, Brandel Chamblee. The channel had earlier run campaigns on LIV Golf, where Chamblee had questioned the morality of Mickelson and LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman in joining hands with the Saudis.
Speaking in October, Golf Channel analyst Brandel Chamblee said:
“It’s lost on them (Mickelson and Norman) that they’re working for a dictator and dictators are notoriously good at manipulating people to the incremental change it takes to get to tyranny.”
The criticism wasn’t received well by LIV golfers. Interestingly, Mickelson’s fellow LIV star Patrick Reed, who is also playing in the Dubai Desert Classic, has filed an Amended Complaint against Chamblee. Reed filed a lawsuit against the analyst, the Golf Channel, and multiple other journalists over defamation and other charges. The case is currently ongoing in court.
Interestingly, Phil Mickelson’s tweet comes just a day after he questioned the PGA Tour's dress code. The golfer, who publicized wearing shorts for LIV Golf events, said that the American circuit was being hypocritical by allowing the then tournament leader, Sam Ryder, to play in joggers and socks.
