Did Phil Mickelson hint that LIV critic Billy Horschel wanted $55m to join the rebel series?
Did Billy Horschel try to join LIV Golf? Phil Mickelson has now hinted that the golfer did ask for money to make the switch.
Tiger Woods’ former golf swing instructor Hank Haney recently started the conversation online after he revealed that a PGA Tour star wanted to secretly approach LIV Golf.
Speaking on the Flushing It podcast, Haney said that the golfer asked for a $55 million offer to join the breakaway league but did not name the individual.
While Haney kept the golfer’s identity hidden, he hinted that the person in question was one of LIV Golf’s biggest critics. Haney said that LIV rejected the offer of the 'player who is really vocal about how bad LIV is…'
Soon, fans started stitching the hints together and began suspecting the golfer in question was Billy Horschel.
Hank Haney said on his pod that a player who is really vocal about how bad LIV is and saying LIV golfers shouldn’t play PGAT and DPWT events, asked for $55 mill earlier in the year and LIV rejected it.
Who do you think it is?
@HankHaney @HankHaneyRadio
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the…
Phil Mickelson hints Billy Horschel secretly contacted LIV
Interestingly, Phil Mickelson joined in the conversation by ‘liking’ a tweet from someone who wrote, "praying it’s Billy Ho." The LIV golfer’s action almost confirmed that it was him Horschel.
Mickelson’s Twitter activity has since led to a major conversation. The ace golfer went on to like multiple tweets from people suggesting Horschel was the vocal critic who requested $55 million from LIV Golf.
Here’s what happened:
Lefty has spoken! 🤣 @PhilMickelson twitter.com/flushingitgolf… https://t.co/o73l3oFqZ9
It’s safe to say that Phil Mickelson has once again stirred a major storm online with his actions. The 52-year-old has been making headlines ever since his defection to the Saudi-backed series and fans seem to love it.
It’s pertinent to note that LIV CEO Greg Norman himself had earlier claimed that many on the PGA Tour had had conversations with him over potential moves. This adds to the theory that Billy Horschel was the golfer Hank Haney was talking about.
Billy Horschel's attack on LIV golfers
It is noteworthy that Billy Horschel has been a PGA Tour member for more than a decade. The golfer had earlier slammed LIV rebels, including Phil Mickelson, over their defection from the PGA Tour. Dubbing the defectors as being ‘hypocrites and liars', Horschel said that he didn’t value them.
Horschel, who made his Presidents Cup debut earlier in the year, slammed the LIV golfers during a press conference at the DP World Tour event in Wentworth. Speaking about the controversial series and its players in early September, the American said:
"I honestly don’t think that the American guys who haven't supported the PGA Tour should be here… The Abraham Ancers, the Talor Goochs, the Jason Kokraks – you've never played this tournament, you've never supported the DP World Tour. Why are you here?"
He added:
"You are here for one reason only and that’s to try and get world ranking points because you don't have it. It's hypocritical because of what some of these guys have said they wanted to play less golf. It's pretty hypocritical to come over here and play outside LIV when your big thing was to spend more time with family and want to play less golf."
Horschel event went on to add that the players were wrong to make the defection and claimed that he knew some players who regretted listening to their agents.