The rivalry between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf was once one of the hottest topics in all of sports before the announcement of a potential merger. And this seemingly led to some animosity between legendary golfers Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson.
Mickelson rubbed a lot of PGA Tour legends the wrong way after departing for LIV back in June of 2022. And Woods is certainly no exception.
Tiger was reportedly offered $800 million to join that Saudi-backed golf organization, which he of course turned down. Since then, Woods has been outspoken about those who opted to depart for LIV.
It seems like he was particularly shaken by Mickelson leaving the tour, as new details have emerged of a petty move made by Woods towards Mickelson back in 2022.
The New York Post received an excerpt from Golf writer Alan Shipnuck’s upcoming book, “LIV and Let Die”, which details that Woods orchestrated Mickelson not being invited to a dinner for past winners of The Open in 2022.
“He talked to a handful of other [past champions] to get their blessing and then went to the R&A and told them, basically, no one wanted Phil there and it would make the night weird and awkward,” one man at the dinner said. “Whose side were they going to take,Tiger’s or Phil’s? That’s an easy choice,” said Shipnuck in his book via the New York Post.
Most fans thought that Woods was out of line for making this decision considering Mickelson had every right to be there as a past British Open champion.
Sad it’s a Past Champions Dinner! https://t.co/aBM7sd45Pq
— Mike Wright (@mikewright69) October 4, 2023
Ah yes tiger woods, always my first choice on morality and values.
— Dan P (@PepRallyBros) October 4, 2023
Tigers a fantastic golfer the absolute goat but he’s not exactly a saint either, no one is!
— Martin Young (@MartyyMcfly55) October 4, 2023
I thought it was a champions dinner. He earned it
— Mike Restovich (@Restovich) October 4, 2023
I am surprised the past champions didn’t say Tiger sit this one out. Slimy action. Phil absolutely deserved his place at that dinner.
— Ian Lacy (@lacyi) October 4, 2023
Yeah Tiger is the class act of the two😂
— Tyler Bailiff (@TylerBailiffs) October 4, 2023
This was obviously back in 2022 and the relationship between these two could be repaired since then. But it is certainly disappointing that perhaps the two biggest names in the sport were clearly at odds.
