Phil Mickelson Blasts PGA Tour as Commissioner Defends Rory McIlroy’s Memorial Tournament Absence
Phil Mickelson has taken a public swipe at PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan after Monahan defended Rory McIlroy’s decision to skip this year’s Memorial Tournament.
McIlroy, 36, has opted out of competing at the prestigious event hosted by Jack Nicklaus at Muirfield Village Golf Club, ending his streak of appearances since 2017. This is also the third out of seven Signature Events he has chosen to miss this season.
Nicklaus, 85, revealed he received no explanation from McIlroy regarding his absence, calling it a “surprise.”
Despite the unexpected snub, Commissioner Monahan stood by McIlroy during a press conference, highlighting the flexibility the PGA Tour offers its players.
“One of the strengths of our model is that players have the freedom to set their own schedules,” Monahan said. “Rory has been a loyal supporter of our events over the years, and I have no concerns given the overall balance of his participation.”
McIlroy is expected to compete in the RBC Canadian Open next week as he prepares for the U.S. Open at Oakmont.
Mickelson, who left the PGA Tour in 2022 for LIV Golf in a $200 million deal, reacted with sarcasm on social media after hearing Monahan’s comments. He reposted a tweet from Flushing It with a mocking reply:
“‘The beauty of our model’ [laughing emojis]. That’s why the PGA Tour can’t go global, why sponsors don’t know what they’re buying, why fans rarely see all the best players compete together, and why no other sport runs this way. It worked well for players like me, but it hasn’t been good for anyone else.”
Meanwhile, McIlroy has faced backlash not only for skipping the Memorial but also for not reaching out personally to Nicklaus to explain his decision. He also drew criticism at the PGA Championship for refusing to speak to the media, a move that followed news that his custom driver had been ruled non-compliant by the USGA.
Leave a Reply