“LIV should do their own match and stream on YouTube” – Fans react to Phil Mickelson’s emotional tweet on The Match
Capital One’s The Match took place under the lights of the Pelican Golf Club Course in Belleair, Florida on Saturday (December 10).
The pairing of Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth beat Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy to take the win in the 12-hole competition. Notably, Phil Mickelson was notably missing from the event.
One of the event’s original members, Phil Mickelson was among the big names in The Match franchise. However, he lost his stakes in the event following his defection to the controversial LIV Golf. Having become the face of the controversial Saudi-backed series, Mickelson was not invited to the event associated with the PGA Tour.
Ahead of The Match, one of the event’s executive producers, Bryan Zuriff, had come out to state that Mickelson will have no involvement in the exhibition event. Following this, Mickelson himself came out to state that he is 'proud' to have been a part of the creation of the event.
The LIV golfer went on to wish the participants good luck and said that he would be watching them on TNT as well. Phil Mickelson tweeted:
I’m proud to have been a part of the creation of The Match. Today will be a fun,funny and insightful version and I’m wishing Tiger,Rory,JT,and Jordan all the best. I’ll be watching it on TNT and I hope you will too.
Fans react to Phil Mickelson's tweet on The Match
While the tweet was perceived as a classy gesture by many Phil Mickelson fans, several others were critical of the same.
Multiple fans came forward to slam the LIV golfer for the action. Some accused him of throwing shade on the PGA Tour with his antics, while a few others labeled the action as an attempt at high-jacking attention.
Commenting on Mickelson’s tweet, one user said that he didn’t matter to the event anymore. Another user came forward to claim that the ace golfer would never have respected the event as it was for charity. One user even made a sarcastic comment saying that LIV should start its own version of the 12-hole event.
Here’s how fans reacted to the tweet:
@PhilMickelson Why are you commenting ? You don’t matter anymore, and to be honest, never really did. enjoy your couch. #Tiger 🐯
@PhilMickelson Liv should do their own match and stream on Youtube. You know who would really move the needle: Taylor Gooch, Abe Ancer, Richard bland, and Phachara Khongwatmai.
@PhilMickelson Loved you til you abandoned principle for coin. Signed, A Disappointed Former Fan
@PhilMickelson These guys chose to stay, while you chose the dirty $ path...just can't stay out of their limelight, can you? The biggest reason it will be fun and funny is because of Charles. Telling that you didn't tag them in your well-wishes tweet. @chambleebrandel
@PhilMickelson A nice sentiment wrapped in “hey guys I’m responsible for this”
FIGJAM
@PhilMickelson No chance you would of done it for charity like it’s played now.. we all no what your all about Phil
@PhilMickelson Shut up Phil
As mentioned earlier, a few were supportive of the golfer. While some lauded his contributions to the event and the PGA Tour, a user even said that “The Match isn’t the same without Phil Mickelson.”
@PhilMickelson It's not the Match without Phil Mickelson!
@PhilMickelson Greatest golfer in the past 30 years. Love how everyone forgets about Tiger’s trangessions and puts Phil through the ringer for trying to make golf better. Phil already made the PGA better with the way he played. Nothing more for him to gain on that tour. Good luck in the LIV!
@PhilMickelson Phil, you are on the correct side of all the golf talk this year. Congratulations. History will continue to prove you and Greg to be game changers for the good.
@PhilMickelson Phil. Thanks for your vision for the match and pushes the tour. Don't listen to the haters.
Producer on why Phil Mickelson is no longer on The Match
Bryan Zuriff, one of The Match’s executive producers revealed that Phil Mickelson will no longer be involved with the event. According to Zuriff, the made-for-TV event was connected to the PGA Tour. This meant that Mickelson could not be in it owing to his association with LIV Golf.
Speaking to GOLF ahead of The Match, Bryan Zuriff said:
“I love Phil and he’s been an incredible part of this. But he knows, you know. He went where he went, and we’re connected with the PGA Tour. So I mean, this is a PGA Tour event… Unfortunately, he left the Tour, and that’s unfortunate for doing something like this.”
Zuriff went on to state that it was a 'bummer' that Mickelson will not be a part of the event and added:
“It’s just a bummer because he’s just been a great partner for so long. But that’s a choice that he made. He understands that when you make those choices, certain things get sacrificed. And this is one of the things that got sacrificed.”
It is pertinent to note that Mickelson has so far been a part of four editions of the exhibition event and is the most successful player in the competition.