“52-year-olds are supposed to look terrible playing…” – How golf world reacted to Phil Mickelson’s rough round in the US Open after his move to LIV
Phil Mickelson, one of the biggest names on the PGA Tour, jumped ship to join LIV Golf earlier this year. The 2021 PGA Tour champion made his LIV debut in London in June. While the ace golfer was happy about his reported $200 million move to the newly introduced series, most fans were left agitated by this.
A week after his LIV Golf debut, Mickelson teed it up at the 2022 US Open. The golfer arrived at the event despite the drama surrounding him at the time. Having played in an event at the rebel golf league funded by the Saudi Arabian government, he was welcomed with mixed reactions from the fans at Brookline. While some cheered him on, many greeted him with boos, much like his reception at the opening event of LIV.
Phil Mickelson had a poor start to the US Open
Phil Mickelson was suspended from the PGA Tour. He and other golfers who decided to join LIV Golf were barred from playing at tournaments run by the PGA. However, the USGA, which runs the US Open, allowed Mickelson and others to attend the event, creating a sense of confusion among fans.
The afternoon of the US Open’s opening day became rough for Mickelson as he struggled on the greens. The six-time major champion finished eight over par on the day, leaving him tied for 145th after the first round.
Mickelson, who was also celebrating his 52nd birthday on the day, finished with just one birdie. The below-par first round from the ace golfer garnered a mixed bag of primarily adverse reactions.
Golf enthusiasts rushed to social media to react to the wild shots played by Mickelson in the opening round. While a few kept calm, many others slammed the 52-year-old, stating that he had forgotten golf after signing a big money deal to join LIV Golf.
Here’s how social media reacted to Phil Mickelson’s poor round at the US Open:
It's true that Phil Mickelson looks terrible out there right now. It's also true that Phil Mickelson turned 52 today and 52-year-olds are supposed to look terrible playing in U.S. Opens.
Phil Mickelson is currently beating two amateurs at the U.S. Open and losing to 11 of them.
The 4 month layoff @PhilMickelson took may have been great for his personal life as he indicated in his pressers both in London and at Brookline the other day, but his balky putter today would indicate it’s not helped his once magical short game. YIKES🤦♂️
Phil Mickelson looks like he’s about to book a middle seat on JetBlue for Friday night right about now
Phil Mickelson just four putted from 12 feet 😬
Guess he isn’t used to playing in tournaments with cuts anymore 😴
twitter.com/Baseball027487…
Phil Mickelson is 7 over through 12 holes. I'm not exactly sure I've seen that before from a guy of his skill no matter the circumstance. #USOpen
Phil Mickelson was in so deep at No. 12 that a wild turkey was flapping its wings not far from his ball. https://t.co/yTDbrmRgND
Phil Mickelson gets heckled by PGA Tour fans
It is pertinent to note that PGA Tour fans have targeted Phil Mickelson since his move to LIV Golf. The case was no different when he arrived in the Tri-State area for a LIV Golf event in Bedminster, New Jersey. PGA Tour fans heckled him on the course, which hindered his game several times.
Mickelson was booed as he readied to take each shot at the course. The PGA Tour champion faced the heat of the raging PGA Tour-LIV Golf debate as he was the rebel league’s poster signing. The 52-year-old was slammed for joining LIV despite its links to the controversial Saudi Royal family. However, the golfer seemed least affected by it.
Despite the loud booing, Mickelson managed to focus. He acknowledged the heckling episode in a post-round press conference and said he wasn’t too bothered by it. The LIV golfer focused on the positives and said he had a “great day” on the greens.
It is also noteworthy that Phil Mickelson became the highest-earning player in the world with his LIV signing. The player was more than happy to join the rebel league and expressed the same on multiple occasions.