Phil Mickelson - © Peetlesnumber1 via Wikimedia Commons - Creative Commons License

Rory McIlroy, who was the first player to oppose Saudi Arabia's effort to create a stand-alone circuit last year, doubled the stake Wednesday at the Wells Fargo Championship.

“People can see it for what it is, which is cash flow, which is good if that's what you golf for, which is to say. earn as much money as possible. Alright, so go ahead and do it if that's what makes you happy ”, McIlroy said. "But I think the best golf players, I'm just talking about my personal beliefs, playing this sport represents and trying to make their place in history, their legacy, to win major championships and win the most major tournaments of the world. "

On Tuesday at the Quail Hollow Club, Jay Monahan, commissioner of the PGA Tour, left no room for ambiguity for those considering making a lucrative jump to the new circuit, currently called Super League Golf, in telling its members at a meeting that anyone who agreed to take part in the new tour would be immediately suspended and "likely" kicked out of the PGA Tour, according to a player who attended the meeting.

The warning did little to deter Phil Mickelson, who has been cited in various reports as one of the top players targeted by the Super Golf League with bonuses of $ 30 million or more.

" It's interesting. I think it's very interesting. What is interesting is that the players would relinquish control of their schedule and compete 14 times or 15 times a year or whatever the final number is ”Mickelson said after his pro-am at Quail Hollow.

Mickelson then explained that he had been contacted by representatives of the Super Golf League but added that he is not sure when or if he will have to make a choice between the new circuit or the PGA Tour.

"We all make a lot of money, we are doing very well with our lives, but we control our own schedule and I don't know if the guys would be willing to take the plunge"said Mickelson. “I think it would be a selfless act. Even if their schedule is financially valued, it would take a lot of effort to relinquish this control, even if the whole sport would benefit. "

“The fans would definitely like to see the best play more often and have there world events. Imagine that all the best players had to participate in other world events, what that would bring to golf. "

Besides Mickelson, at 50, world number one Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau, Justin Rose, Henrik Stenson, Adam Scott, Rickie Fowler and Patrick Reed have all been targeted as potential "franchise owners" by the Super Golf League, which will feature F1 style teams with 15-18 events played each year.

One of the top 10 players who is currently unrelated to the Super Golf League is world number 2 Justin Thomas, who made his opinion on the dissenting league clear on Wednesday.

"I don't know where it's going to go because everyone feels it differently and everyone is at a different stage in their career"Thomas said. “For me, personally, I'm on my way to being number 1 in the world, winning as many tournaments and majors as possible and achieving historic achievements on the PGA Tour. If I were to commit to this league then all of these things go in the trash and I can't do that. "

The European Tour has also clarified its position on the Super Golf League, with general manager Keith Pelley saying in a statement: “We are aligned with the PGA Tour and oppose, in the strongest terms possible, any alternative golf league proposal. "

Among other members of the professional golf community who would be affected by a possible dissident circuit, the Official World Golf Ranking declined to comment. "Questions outside the ranking" and an R&A spokesperson said: “We have deep relationships with the circuits and we support them. We can't really comment until we know more ”.

USGA CEO Mike Davis said in a statement: “The USGA is very proud of its long-standing partnership with the PGA Tour. We greatly appreciate everything the Tour does to create a global platform for elite golfers, which brings golf to millions of fans around the world. "

"The PGA Tour and the European Tour have each served world golf with honor and distinction", can we read in a statement from Augusta National. “As it has done for many decades, the Masters Tournament proudly supports both organizations in their quest to promote golf and the best players in the world. "

PGA of America CEO Seth Waugh has left no ambiguity as to which side his association has chosen. “We fully support the PGA Tour and the European Tour when it comes to the current professional golf ecosystem. We strongly believe that the current structure is both very functional and in the best long term interest of the game our members work so hard for every day ”, he said in a statement.

“We will be putting the finishing touches on golf's strongest field next Monday and we look forward to showcasing the best in the world alongside the PGA 20 squad who so proudly represent our 28 PGA Professionals at Kiawah. in two weeks. "

To read our last article on the same subject :

The PGA Tour will sanction any player joining the Super Golf League