Having struggled for form since joining LIV, both Phil Mickelson and Bubba Watson’s playing days could be running out, according to a report.
Phil Mickelson could be looking at a future on the sidelines when his contract expires with LIV Golf in 2025, according to his own biographer.
Despite being one of LIV’s most well-known additions, Mickelson has had difficulty returning to the level of play that elevated him to the top of the world rankings for more than thirty years.
Mickelson may transition to a non-playing role after his contract expires after a dismal start to the 2024 season, in which he has yet to score a point.
Captain of the HyFlyers, Mickelson has been a consistent figure in the Saudi-backed league since its inception in 2022 but has only managed to accumulate two top-10 finishes in the 20 tournaments he has played
With LIV now attracting some of the best young players in the game, including Jon Rahm, Tyrrell Hatton, and Adrian Meronk, Mickelson’s biographer Alan Shipnuck believes both Mickelson and Bubba Watson could set the clubs down when their contracts run out.
Watson has also struggled for form since joining LIV, with the RangeGoats captain, even going so far as to claim that “I told my team if they don’t think I am good enough to play, they can kick me out and we will put another good golfer in my place.”
The two-time Masters winner is on the same four-year captain’s contract as Mickelson and has also struggled to build any kind of form since joining the breakaway league.
Since joining LIV in 2023, Watson has only accumulated one top-10 result, and he concluded his debut season 36th in the individual standings.
Before he officially ends his career, Mickelson wants to cross one more accomplishment off his list.
“If I win the US Open, I will retire,” Mickelson declared in an interview with Golf Digest. That would be my final competition.
“I won’t have anything more to prove because I will have accomplished the career grand slam.”