To clear up the most recent speculation, Phil Mickelson’s agents recently released a statement confirming his intention to defend his PGA Championship and take part in the US Open, the latter being the only major he has yet to win.

• Related: Phil Mickelson requests release to play Saudi Golf League ahead of comeback

SportFive agency representative Steve Loy made the official announcement that:

“Our client Phil Mickelson is officially registered to play in the PGA Championship as well as the U.S. Open. We have also filed a request on his behalf for a release to play in the first LIV Golf Invitational in London, June 9 – 11. This request complies with the deadline of April 25 set forth by the PGA Tour to compete in a conflicting tour event.”

The statement continued with less certainty:

“Phil currently has no concrete plans on when and where he will play. Any actions taken are in no way a reflection of a final decision made, but rather to keep all options open.”

• Related: ‘It’s pitiful’ – Gary Player blasts treatment of Phil Mickelson

As per the statement, the 51-year-old has also officially requested a release from the PGA Tour in order to play at the opening event of the LIV Golf Invitational Series, something that a report in The Telegraph suggest has riled the PGA of America with the possible result that he is forced to withdraw from the defence at Southern Hills.

With the inaugural tournament taking place at the Centurion Club in London just a week before that illusive major at Brookline, and the increasing threat of legal action between the two sides, there is also speculation Mickelson may not attempt to complete the career grand slam.

The six-time major winner has had a torrid few months.

Initially promoting the Saudi golf league, a released conversation with a renown golf reporter revealed he believed he could use the threat of the new tour as leverage against the PGA Tour against their stance on media rights.

That led to something of a ‘no-man’s-land’ for Mickelson with the PGA Tour taking a stern stance against his comments, players distancing themselves from the lucrative prize-money on offer, and LIV chairman, Greg Norman, having to rehash initial plans.

The resulting furore led to Mickelson taking a self-enforced break from the PGA Tour and Norman admitting that:

“It was a kick in the teeth. There’s no question about it. It was a gut punch – we were so close. On that Tuesday we had our strength of field ready to go and the PGA Tour heard about this and threw a giant redwood tree in our roadway. And they did. There’s no question about it. They created a disruption by putting that information out, all those comments about Phil out there.”

With the latest statement seeming to confirm that the Saudi-backed tour has welcomed back Mickelson with an open-door policy, The Telegraph report that the 51-year-old received $30m up front and must appear in each Series event or accept the penalty of paying back a percentage of that fee and more.

Whilst PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan has suggested he will grant leave to tour members in order for them to play at the opener taking place opposite the Canadian Open, further agreement looks in doubt as the following events clash with the John Deere Classic and Rocket Mortgage Classic before three of the last five events also take place in the USA.

Last week, world number 1053, Robert Garrigus, confirmed his agreement to play in London, and whilst that caused a minor ripple, speculation then ramped up who has also agreed to play alongside Mickelson in June and beyond. Names such as Louis Oosthuizen, Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood and Paul Casey have been banded about with suspicious regularity and with the opener just six weeks away, the rumour mill can only get more frenetic.

As for Mickelson, the year doesn’t seem to get any less cloudy and reporters continue to watch every move, with the veteran spotted on the course this week ahead of his expected comeback.

Rumors of Phil Mickelson’s demise have been greatly exaggerated. He had plenty of speed yesterday at Rancho Santa Fe Golf Club. pic.twitter.com/N3NhqwEA6v

— Fire Pit Collective (@firepitstories) April 28, 2022

It seems as if there is a fair way to go yet before any conclusion to this story.

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