LIV Golf star Phil Mickelson was locked in a rather awkward exchange on social media with a retired golfer as the debate surrounding world rankings points rages on.
As it stands, those competing on the Saudi-backed tour are ineligible to receive Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points, although LIV players and CEO Greg Norman continue to protest the decision.
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If the OWGR maintains its position, it significantly decreases the chances of LIV players being able to compete in majors.
However, the flip side of the argument is that those competing on LIV knew what they were getting themselves into when they signed on.
The Twitter spat involving Mickelson and Colt Knost, a former PGA Tour pro and now a CBS golf analyst, began when the latter responded to a pro-LIV user who believed the majors would eventually adjust to hand LIV players points.
“Serious question,” Knost wrote.
“Y’all are so upset about the OWGR, if you knew the criteria when you’re starting a tour why wouldn’t you just meet it?”
Mickelson then decided to air his thoughts on the matter.
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“Colt. It is not our job. It is the OWGR’s job to rank ALL the players in the world,” Mickelson said.
“Maybe they can do THEIR job and figure it out like they do for multiple tours with hundreds of players not even close to as good. But that would hurt the PGA’s revenue from CBS so the leaders won’t.”
Knost fired back and asked “respectfully” why Mickelson never advocated for rankings points from when he first joined LIV.
The six-time major winner wasted little time in replying.
“Respectfully, I don’t need OWGR points nor do I care about them for myself,” Mickelson said.
“I’m in 3 majors for the next 13+ years and all four majors through 2025. It’s about doing what’s right and calling out the collusion that’s taking place behind closed doors to help JM (Jay Monahan, PGA Tour commissioner) get all his tv money.”
Knost again asked Mickelson why LIV didn’t address the rankings situation before it started and also questioned why he “felt like LIV is more deserving than another tour.”
Mickelson replied: “It was addressed and it was made clear the heads of OWGR would do everything in their power to shut LIV down by any and all means.”
The LIV star then posed a question to Knost: “Curious why you think LIV is the ONLY tour NOT worthy of points despite so many great players?”
Knost agreed there were several great players competing on the LIV circuit and that the OWGR would eventually hand out ranking points for those successful on the tour.
But he pondered how many ranking points should be awarded to LIV events in comparison to major PGA Tour events given the supposed disparity in talent levels.
Mickelson believed those same questions could be asked of all tours and insisted the OWGR should “figure it out and continue tweaking as they have been doing for decades.”
He also claimed it is “obvious” why the OWGR doesn’t hand out ranking points for LIV events.
Knost then invited Mickelson to come onto his podcast, Sub-Par, but the latter declined.
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The reason?
“I prefer tweeting like we are,” Mickelson said.
Knost again extended the invitation, cheekily claiming “Greg (Norman, LIV CEO) would give you permission.”
But Mickelson again turned down the chance, this time with a more pointed reply.
“When you don’t have facts to back up your position this is what you tweet?” Mickelson said.
“No thanks. I’m good.”
Not one to take no for an answer, Knost tried his luck a third time.
“You could share your facts on the show,” Knost wrote.
“We could sit down in person. Would [be] a wonderful discussion. And maybe our two genius minds could come up with a solution!”
But Mickelson decided to put the phone away and didn’t leave a reply.
