Mickelson denies $600m Rahm to LIV rumour: "This isn't true and I don't know anything"
Captain Phil Mickelson of HyFlyers GC walks through the tunnel to the 17th hole during the first round of LIV Golf Jeddah at the Royal Greens Golf & Country Club on Friday, October 13, 2023 in King Abdullah Economic City, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Jon Ferrey/LIV Golf)
Phil Mickelson has vehemently denied he's been telling people Jon Rahm is poised to make a shock $600 million move to the LIV Golf League in 2024.
Journalist Alan Shipnuck, who drew Mickelson's ire last year by quoting him as saying he was only using the new tour as leverage to prise more concessions out of the PGA Tour and that his Saudi masters were "scary motherf*****s to get involved with", tweeted the shock Rahm claim on Wednesday.
"In recent days Phil has been telling folks that Rahm signing with LIV is a done deal. (They share the same agent.)," Shipnuck wrote. "But we all know Mickelson is a relentless salesman/bulls(---) artist, so take that for what it's worth."
Mickelson responded to those claims on X, previously known as Twitter, denying the rumour.
"This isn't true and I don't know anything," Mickelson wrote. "I don't want to know anything and I haven't said anything. Alan is the worst liar and a pathetic human."
Rahm denies any interest in LIV Golf, telling the 'Golf Sin Etiquetas' podcast in August: "I laugh when people rumour me with LIV Golf. I never liked the format. And I always have a good time with Phil Mickelson and Sergio Garcia in the practice rounds of majors.
"Phil respects my decision, and I respect his. Mickelson has told me that I have no reason to go play for LIV, and he has told me that multiple times."
Mickelson said last month that he expects more big stars to join LIV Golf, but so far, there has been little movement as the PGA Tour and the PIF negotiate a deal.
Andy Ogletree gained a LIV spot as the winner of the International Series' order of merit, but there has also been traffic in the other direction with Austria's Bernd Wiesberger reinstated by the DP World Tour yesterday.
"He has fulfilled all sanctions – both financial and tournament suspensions - that were imposed upon him for breaches of the Tour's conflicting event regulation across 2022 and 2023," the DP World Tour said in a statement.
"Consequently, his request for reinstatement has been granted by DP World Tour Chief Executive Keith Pelley, in accordance with the procedure set out in the Members' Regulations."
Wiesberger played on the Cleeks team this season with Martin Kaymer, Richard Bland and Graeme McDowell, who is expected to remain with LIV Golf as he did not apply for DP World Tour reinstatement before last weekend's deadline.
The PGA Tour's Player Impact Programme (PIP), which this year distributed $100 million to the top 20 most influential players, remains its biggest weapon when it comes to dissuading its stars from defecting to LIV.
World number 190 Nate Lashley revealed the 2023 results on Instagram yesterday and lambasted the scheme, which sees Rory McIlroy top the list for the first time with $15 million and Tiger Woods handed $12m despite playing just twice.
"There's 150-200 members of the PGA Tour and they just spent $100 million on 20 players," Lashley wrote of a list that does not include Shane Lowry, who was awarded $3m for 12th place last year.
"Time for new leadership on the PGA Tour. This is an absolute kick in the face to the rest of the PGA Tour players."
Meanwhile, South Africa's Thriston Lawrence opened with an eight-under-par 62 to lead the Joburg Open by three strokes from compatriot Nikhil Rama.
At the LET's season-ending Andalucía Costa del Sol Open de España, Sweden's Linn Grant carded a bogey-free, seven-under 65 to lead by one stroke from Australian rookie Kirsten Rudgeley.
