By now you’ve heard the news shouted from the rooftops of Ponte Vedra Beach and beyond: Brooks Koepka, after his shock exit from LIV Golf, has, more shockingly still, been reinstated as a member of the PGA Tour, effective immediately. Koepka’s return was announced on Monday under a new policy that will allow winners of major championships and players between 2022 and 2025 to join the PGA Tour provided they meet the criteria given. Koepka has reportedly committed to playing in the Farmers Insurance Open, the WM Phoenix Open and a total of at least 15 PGA Tour events this season.
The announcement is potentially seismic for professional golf. That opens the door for Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm and Cameron Smith to return to the PGA Tour as soon as this season (the re-entry window is set to close on Feb. 2) and could shift the balance of power in golf’s ongoing tug-of-war insurmountably in the tour’s favor. As popular X Golf user Rick Golfs points out, however, there is one VERY big name that the policy is leaving out:
Advertisement
Phil Mickelson.
RELATED: Phil Mickelson Had 47 Holes-in-One, and I Believe Him
Something or nothing? On the one hand, Mickelson was one of the first big names to leave the PGA Tour for LIV Golf and did so loud and clear. While players like Koepka, Dustin Johnson and Jon Rahm were outspoken about leaving for financial and family reasons, Mickelson cited his grievances with the PGA Tour as a contributing factor, publicly calling out the tour’s “abhorrent greed.” While this very public breakup has nothing to do with the reinstatement policy announced Monday, it’s worth noting that Mickelson would be eligible to return if the policy was just 12 months old to host his 2021 PGA Championship at Kiawah Island. The fact that this is not the case is remarkable to say the least.
On the other hand, LIV Golf’s first season began in June 2022, which could explain the schedule set by the PGA Tour on Monday. The curious case of Dustin Johnson also makes for an interesting rebuttal. Like Mickelson, Johnson was once one of the PGA Tour’s biggest stars, and he won his last major in November 2020. Unlike Mickeson, however, when Johnson left the PGA Tour, he didn’t criticize leadership or beat the “grow the game” drum. In typical DJ fashion, he just did it, creating arguably less of a sensation than Koepka, DeChambeau, Smith or Rahm. Despite this, Johnson is also not eligible for reinstatement under the tour’s new policy, suggesting there is no Phil-specific program at work.
Advertisement
No matter how you feel about the specific terms of the PGA Tour’s reinstatement or the reasoning behind them, the fact is that Mickelson won’t get a victory lap under current rules. From a golfing perspective, it might not matter. Mickelson is now 55 years old and his best playing days are behind him. However, for the many Lefty fans who hope to one day see him back on the tour where he became a legend, this is surely disappointing. But who knows? maybe another smart and impactful ASU alum will be back to fill those shoes sooner rather than laterâŚ
