Phil Mickelson fires shots at PGA Tour as boss defends Rory McIlroy's Memorial no-show

LIV Golf's Phil Mickelson has taken aim at PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan after hearing he has defended Rory McIlroy for skipping this week's Memorial Tournament. 

McIlroy, 36, is missing Jack Nicklaus' Memorial Tournament for the first time since 2017 at famed Muirfield Village Golf Club. 

It also marks the third of seven Signature Events that McIlroy has chosen to bypass this season. 

Nicklaus, 85, admitted yesterday that McIlroy had given him no reason for shunning an invite to compete in his tournament in Ohio. 

The Golden Bear revealed it was a "surprise". 

But McIlroy's no-show at the Memorial Tournament is seemingly all good in the eyes of PGA Tour commissioner Monahan.

"You look at the beauty of our model is that our players have the ability to select their schedule," said Monahan during his Wednesday press conference.

"Rory McIlroy I think has played this tournament every year since 2017 and you look at the tournaments he has supported.

"I don’t have any concern because you look at this, on balance, over time, his support of our tournaments and our partners is extraordinary."

McIlroy will instead compete in next week's RBC Canadian Open as he gears up for the following week's U.S. Open at Oakmont. 

After hearing Monahan's comments, six-time major champion Phil Mickelson, who left the PGA Tour to join LIV Golf for a reported fee of $200m in 2022, could only sit there and laugh.

Mickelson tweeted in response to Flushing It's post on X/Twitter: "'The beauty of our model' [laughter emojis] It’s why the PGA Tour won’t ever be able to move throughout the world, why sponsors don’t know what they are buying, why fans haven’t seen all best compete against each other consistently for decades, and why no other sport successfully uses this model. It was great for me and all players but not good for anyone else." 

McIlroy has been strongly criticised by analysts and fans for not phoning or texting Nicklaus to let him know why he decided to not play in the Memorial Tournament this week. 

The Northern Irishman also came under fire for declining media interviews all four tournament days in his last start at the PGA Championship.

That was after it emerged ahead of the tournament that his 'gamer' driver was deemed illegal by the USGA. 

More has come to light on that subject today.