Last week at LIV Golf Jeddah, Phil Mickelson made some interesting comments claiming that the PGA Tour is “trending downwards”.

“We play against a lot of the best players in the world on LIV and there are a lot of the best players in the world on the PGA Tour. And until some of the — well until both sides sit down and have a conversation and work something out, both sides are going to continue to change and evolve.

“And I see LIV Golf trending upwards, I see the PGA Tour trending downwards and I love the side that I’m on.”

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Jon Rahm, who has a good relationship with Mickelson and has been relatively fair to those who’ve joined LIV Golf, spoke at this week’s CJ CUP, disputing Phil’s claim.

“I really, I really don’t know why he said that. There’s been some changes being made, but it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s going down, right? I truly don’t know why he said that. Don’t know. I really, I really don’t know. I think there’s some great changes being made and great changes for the players on the Tour. I truly don’t know what drove him to say something like that.”

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Now, Rory McIlroy, who’s become the face and leader of the PGA Tour, has addressed Mickelson’s comments. McIlroy has been one of the most vocal players on the PGA Tour in speaking out against LIV and those who’ve joined.

“I guess for them to be talking the way they are, it’s bold and it’s, you know, I think there’s a ton of propaganda being used and all sorts of stuff. I certainly don’t see the PGA Tour trending downward at all. All the talent, most, 95 per cent of the talent, is here. You’ve got people like Tom Kim coming through who that’s the future of our game.”

“I don’t agree with what Phil said last week. I understand why he said it because of the position he is in, but I don’t think anyone that takes a logical view of the game of golf can agree with what he said.”

McIlroy also said that the “disruptive” LIV players have put “the golf world in flux”.

“I think the people that have decided to stay here and play these tournaments, they or we haven’t done anything differently than what we’ve always done, right? We’re playing these events, we’re PGA Tour members, we’re sticking to the system that has traditionally been there. The guys that have went over to LIV, they have – they’re the ones that have made the disruption, they’re the ones that have sort of put the golf world in flux right now.”

McIlroy has a chance to jump Scottie Scheffler as the number one ranked player in the OWGR this week if he can manage to win the CJ CUP at Congaree Golf Club in South Carolina.

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