Phil Mickelson’s season ended at LIV’s inaugural team event finale at Trump Doral in Miami and the six-time major winner was criticised for his ‘painful’ actions
Cameron Smith holed a seven-foot putt to eliminate Phil Mickelson from the LIV Golf team finale – before throwing in one last dig to end a season like no other.
Mickelson’s status as golf’s new pariah could scarcely have been believed when he was mobbed by euphoric Kiawah Island galleries after becoming the oldest major winner just 18 months ago at the PGA Championship. But after positioning himself in the centre of the LIV storm that has thrown the sport into chaos, the headlines no longer concern Lefty’s abilities on the course.
The six-time major winner became engulfed in golf’s bitter civil war in a year where he has accused the PGA Tour of ‘obnoxious greed’, signed for the rebel LIV series and made inflammatory comments about the Saudi Arabian regime that is bankrolling the contentious venture.
Mickelson did have a chance to end his season, that has included a four month hiatus from competitive golf, on a high as the LIV series rolled into into Miami for its closing event. But his ‘Hy Flyers’ were knocked out of the Team Championship following his defeat to Open champion Smith on the final hole on Friday.