LIV Golf's Phil Mickelson reveals INSIDE INFO about World Golf Ranking future

Phil Mickelson gives his verdict on what will most likely happen in regard to the Official World Golf Rankings.

30 Jan 2023

LIV Golf's Phil Mickelson reveals what is most likely to happen with OWGR!

LIV Golf's Phil Mickelson believes "there will probably be another ranking system that is more credible" for the best golfers in the world in the not too distant future.

There has been plenty of criticism from Tour players, golf fans and the media about the current structure of the OWGR, particularly in recent months.

None greater than seeing Jon Rahm win four of his last six tournaments only to move from sixth to third in the world rankings.

Rahm recently called the OWGR "a joke".

In the eyes of Mickelson, who is still waiting for a decision to be made on whether LIV Golf tournaments will receive any OWGR points of their own in 2023, the current system has "lost any credibility."

As it stands, the likes of LIV Golf players and major champions Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau and Patrick Reed find themselves well outside the top 40 in the world.

Mickelson himself is down in 254th.

Speaking to Sports Illustrated's Bob Harig ahead of the Saudi International on the Asian Tour this week, Mickelson, 52, believes some tournaments on the PGA Tour, especially major championships, may start to "go away" from the OWGR altogether.

Harig asked Mickelson:

"Any sense on what might happen with LIV Golf getting OWGR points?"

LIV Golf's Phil Mickelson reveals INSIDE INFO about World Golf Ranking future

Mickelson replied:

"There will probably be another ranking system that is a more credible system as it includes all golfers in the world.

"This one has lost any credibility.

"I wouldn’t be surprised if tournaments stopped using it as a criteria for qualifying.

"I think it is ultimately hurting the tournaments more than the players.

"If you’re a major championship and you’re using it as a qualifying factor and you’re taking a system that is not getting all the best players in the field, it hurts the tournament more.

"That's why you might see tournaments go away from it as qualifying criteria. Or have a new ranking system."

Mickelson spoke about a number of other topics with Harig, including his thoughts on LIV Golf entering its second season with a new TV partner, the controversy surrounding World No.1 Rory McIlroy and Reed in Dubai, and the prospect of winning more major championships.

READ THE FULL INTERVIEW HERE

Lefty also addressed Harig's question as to whether or not he had received any animosity among from those on the PGA Tour since the emergence of LIV Golf last summer.

Mickelson shook his head.

He replied:

"I have not had anybody come up to me and say anything negative. I played today and I had 10 or 12 people come up to me and say how excited they are about LIV. I think that there is probably a skewed viewpoint.

"I don’t know if anybody is going to really come up to me and lay into me. The only people who have said anything are those who have been supportive and kind. Or who support LIV and myself. Nobody has come up to me in the entire year and said anything negative.

"I see comments on social media and such, but nothing else."

In fact, Mickelson claims to received plaudits from some players on the PGA Tour, who are now playing for even greater sums of prize money as a result of LIV Golf.

"I’ve had a number of guys thank me profusely. I’ve got the same close relationships with the players I’ve been playing with around here as I’ve had in the past.

"The relationships that are going to be affected were not really close and were more acquaintances. Their views are going to be altered by public perception or whatnot.

"The friends are still close, and I’ve been appreciative of the number of players who thanked me for however big or small it may have been to get some of these changes that occurred [on the PGA Tour]. It’s a decent amount of guys; I don’t want to call out guys and who they are.

"But it’s been a good learning experience."

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