Jack Nicklaus took a nasty condescending shot at Phil Mickelson ahead of the Masters. Green jacket on green jacket assault!
We have ourselves some legend-on-legend crime as the Masters gets underway on Thursday courtesy of Jack Nicklaus.
After Nicklaus sent a tee shot down the first fairway as an honorary starter to help get the festivities underway at Augusta National, the six-time Masters champion stepped into the media center to answer a few questions alongside Gary Player and Tom Watson.
Phil Mickelson is always a topic of conversation at the Masters given the three green jackets he owns and the fact that he’s just two years removed from a surprising T-2 finish in the 2023 Masters. The lefty also earned a sixth-place finish at LIV Miami just a week ago, which led a reporter to ask Nicklaus if he was surprised to see Mickelson still competing at a high level at 54-years-old.
Nicklaus took this as an opportunity to throw shade at both Mickelson and LIV Golf.
“Well, you know, I don’t know what level Phil is competing at,” Nicklaus said. “I guess he’s still playing. He’s playing the LIV Tour, is he? I don’t know if he’s playing or not. I don’t know, you never see that anymore.”
Nicklaus’ tongue-in-cheek question about Mickelson playing on LIV was the real dagger. Not too bad of a zinger from the 85-year-old legend.
Nicklaus maintains an open stance regarding the Saudi-backed circuit since he began offering his opinions multiple times throughout the years.
Nicklaus expressed during May 2023 that he completely ignores LIV Golf operations as well as their player base.
The players competing at LIV Golf no longer qualify as golf competitors as far as I am concerned. I state these things without any hostility. Nicklaus describes the Memorial Tournament as a PGA Tour series at its best because it features the most talented field available from eligible players.
Mickelson has now participated in thirty-two Masters tournaments this week but his opening nine holes scored 3-over par.
