Phil Mickelson: "It is all starting to play out just like we thought it would"

LIV Golf's poster boy Phil Mickelson refused to predict what happens next after the breakaway tour withdrew their application for world ranking status. 

But Lefty believes everything is 'all starting to play out just like we thought it would'. 

LIV officially withdrew their bid for Official World Golf Ranking accreditation at the beginning of the week. 

The rival league's chairman, Greg Norman, penned a letter to LIV players stating: "It's now clear that the best way forward for LIV as a league and LIV golfers is not through the current ranking system."

LIV applied for status before the landmark 150th Open at St. Andrews two years ago and were told 'no' by the governing body last October. 

The OWGR raised concerns about the league's format and pathways to the league. 

Mickelson has been among those to criticise the governing body as LIV players have tumbled down the rankings over the past 24 months. 

Talor Gooch has attracted quite a lot of heat with his opinion on the topic. 

Related:

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OWGR chairman Peter Dawson has reiterated there was never 'a conspiracy' against LIV to deny them points. 

Mickelson was involved in a heated exchange on X last October in which he declared LIV were never, ever going to get points. 

As far as he is concerned, the OWGR is a 'monopoly run by all the governing bodies'. 

See his post here:

Trevor, LIV was NEVER going to get points. Why? 1)it’s a monopoly run by all the governing bodies 2) the PGA Tour tv contract is based on owgr criteria for them to get all their money 3) they would lose leverage in negotiations if LIV got points4) last but not least, Tour has…

— Phil Mickelson (@PhilMickelson) October 12, 2023

In an interview with The Times of London last week, Dawson stated he hopes there could be a resolution between the PGA Tour and LIV. 

In the absence of that, Dawson said: "If it comes down to a no-change situation then the world of golf will have to decide whether they would prefer to have a totally inclusive ranking system that is perhaps not mathematically as good as it could be, or a mathematically sound system which excludes some players."

Mickelson was asked about the current state of affairs before teeing it up with the HyFlyers in Hong Kong. 

He refused to be drawn into speculation. 

"So over the last maybe year or so, I've kind of expressed my thoughts -- not thoughts, but also shared what exactly is happening on some of the inner workings of that situation," he said. 

"I don't really have more to add. I've been pretty clear on what's going on and my thoughts via Twitter, which is much easier to get those thoughts out. I don't really have any more to add.

"But it is all starting to play out just like we thought it would."

Mickelson's comments come as LIV's marquee signing, Jon Rahm, criticised the OWGR. 

At the beginning of the week, Rahm said: "I'm going to go back to what I said two years ago. I didn't think it [OWGR] was a good system back then.

"If anything, the more time goes on, the more it proves to be wrong," 

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