Phil Mickelson missed his chance to return to the PGA Tour by just 7 months. Not that he cares about it, as his loyalty lies with LIV Golf. If that wasn’t clear earlier, it is now. Thanks to his latest message, which fans couldn’t wrap their heads around, by the way.

“I’m having so much fun out here,” the six-time major winner said in a recent press conference in Florida. “I love playing out here on LIV. I love being with the guys… I could not be happier out here.” That, coupled with his two recent tweets, meant only one thing: he doesn’t care about returning to the PGA Tour.

As per the Returning Member Program, golfers who won majors or the PLAYERS Championship from 2022 to 2025 are eligible to return to the PGA Tour. This makes Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, and Cameron Smith eligible to return, but Mickelson won the PGA Championship in 2021 in May, missing out by just 7 months.

Reminded of the fact, he commented three laughing emojis under Golf Digest’s tweet on the matter. Before that, Fore Play Golf also tweeted the same, and Lefty’s response has the same: a couple of laughing emojis with sarcastic claps.

In his tenure with LIV, Lefty has always been vocal about his criticisms of the PGA Tour. He once mentioned that he’d feel anxious playing on the Tour and would go as late as possible, but at a LIV event, he comes earlier.

“I can’t wait to get here [LIV event]. The experience from a player’s standpoint is better than I could have ever imagined,” he said of LIV in August 2025.

With the Returning Member Program, Brooks Koepka has found his place on the PGA Tour. It came with a hefty penalty, though. As for Bryson DeChambeau, Smith, and Rahm, they have clearly mentioned that they will continue to play with LIV.

Mickelson’s upbeat dismissal of the PGA Tour only fueled more fire among the critics.

Fans tear down Phil Mickelson’s Golf legacy

The online debate became even more heated when one fan said, “Someone forgot to tell Phil the Returning Player Program doesn’t apply to him. The PGA Tour’s new policy has a very sharp edge. Fans noticed the strange timing of the new rules made for returning stars.

It started the eligibility window in 2022, excluding golfers such as Phil Mickelson (2021 PGA Champion), Dustin Johnson (2020 Masters champion), Patrick Reed (2018 Masters champion), and Sergio Garcia (2017 Masters champion). Even with his 45 career wins, the door remains locked tight for Phil Mickelson.

That’s why one fan said, “They don’t want you, Phil; they want golfers that can still play golf.” Mickelson, 55, is past his prime. For the first two seasons, he struggled to adapt to LIV’s 54-hole  format, finishing in the bottom half of the 48-man fields. His best result in the first two years was in 2023: a T6 finish in Jeddah. But the 2025 season marked a significant turnaround.

Mickelson shot a final-round 64 (6-under par) to finish solo 3rd in Hong Kong. It was his first individual podium finish since joining LIV Golf. He followed up his Hong Kong success with a T6 finish in Miami and a T4 at Virginia.

Still, another person delivered a reality check, saying, “Mickelson knows he’s never going to be invited back. PGAT doesn’t need a 55-year-old troublemaker taking up space.” At 55, his world ranking has dropped significantly. He is at 1198th, a sharp contrast to his career best, #2. And his vocal comments about how he admires playing on LIV could have also caused the strain.

Finally, the conversation turned toward the deep emotional cost of his move as one fan wrote, “I love ruining my legacy and everything I built for greed.” Mickelson has attempted to build a franchise identity centered on fun, camaraderie, and veteran stability with his team members like Brendan Steele, Cameron Tringale, and Andy Ogletree as the captain of HyFlyers GC.

He spent thirty years building a perfect image before he chose the LIV Golf. Most people still remember him as the People’s Champion who signed every glove for every waiting child. They believe the 6-time major champion traded that beloved image for a hefty check and a gilded lifestyle from LIV.