“He’s obviously going to advocate for his side” - Jon Rahm dismisses ‘friend’ Phil Mickelson’s LIV Golf comments ahead of 2023 Memorial Tournament
In a press conference before of the PGA Tour's Memorial Tournament, Jon Rahm pushed back against Phil Mickelson's recent claims about the fitness and readiness of LIV Golf League players for the majors.
The discussion erupted amid the excitement of this week's tournament at Muirfield Village, where Rahm is one of the top options in the GolfMagic Fantasy lineup.
As he prepared to participate on the PGA Tour this week, Jon Rahm, the defending champion of the season's first major, The Masters, found himself facing questions regarding Phil Mickelson's recent remarks.
Jon Rahm, eager to add another Memorial title to his collection, was asked by the media to respond to Lefty's latest remarks. Golf fans are eagerly awaiting Jon Rahm's response as he attempts to leave his mark on the famous Memorial tournament once more.
"Well, listen, Phil is a friend of mine, but what else is he going to say? Right? He's obviously going to advocate for his side, and that's perfectly fine. I mean, listen, there's many ways to prepare for a tournament, and my schedule has not changed really.
"Like, I played 19 events last year from Tournament of Champions to Tour Championship, and it will be the same this year. It's been the same pretty much every year. So it doesn't change my schedule; it's just what tournaments I have played. That's it.
"I don't really feel any different about it. I have heard Phil's comments and, well, if he believes it to be true, it's good for him. I don't know. It's hard to say. There's been so many different ways of tackling major tournament golf.
"Phil himself used to always play the week before. Tiger [Woods] and Jack [Nicklaus] didn't play the week before. So who says one way is better than the other."
According to Mickelson's tweet, LIV Golf athletes have an advantage in the four major tournaments due to their well-managed schedules and higher physical condition. However, Jon Rahm, a well-known figure in the golf industry, disagreed with Mickelson's point of view.
Love LIV or hate it, it’s the best way/Tour to be your best in the majors. Enough events to keep you sharp, fresh and ready, yet not be worn down from too many tournaments or obligations. 14 LIV events, 34 weeks left open to prepare for the 4 majors. Fact.
What Jon Rahm has said on LIV Golf membes
Regarding the Ryder Cup, Jon Rahm expressed disappointment that his fellow Spaniard and LIV Golf member, Sergio Garcia, was left out of Team Europe. Jon Rahm is disappointed by the PGA of America's decision to bar LIV golfers from competing in the match play event between the United States and Europe.
“I’m going to miss him. I’m going to mention history … a Spanish duo in the Ryder Cup is embedded into the roots of the Ryder Cup,” he said, mentioning the successful pairing of Seve Ballesteros and Jose Maria Olazabal.
“So to me, it’s a little sad that politics have gotten in the way of such a beautiful event. It’s the best Europeans against the best Americans, period. Whatever is going on, who is playing LIV and who is not playing LIV, to me should not matter.
"And I have a hard time to believe that the best player Europe has ever had, the most successful player Europe has had on the Ryder Cup, isn’t fit to be on the team. But there’s a couple of Spanish guys playing really good right now, so hopefully they can join me on the team.”
While the Ryder Cup does not have a cut, Jon Rahm believes that other tournaments may adopt a similar concept in the future. Starting in 2024, the PGA Tour is considering instituting limited-field tournaments with no cut, which would mean that every player would participate all four rounds, regardless of their score after 36 holes.
Tiger Woods, the Genesis Invitational's host, has indicated his desire for a cut, and he believes that prominent events, such as the PGA Memorial and Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill, should also have one. The golfing community is still divided about tournament formats and the occurrence of cuts.