Phil Mickelson had admitted he would ‘step aside’ from playing golf after facing the reality of his struggling game but sees his LIV Golf partnership lasting for life

Phil Mickelson has confessed that he might “step aside” to make way for new talent due to his own game struggling in recent years.

After joining the breakaway LIV Golf tour when he signed a lucrative $200m (£156m) contract in 2022, the 54-year-old’s form has dropped significantly. Mickelson may have made history with his second PGA Championship win at the age of 50 years, 11 months and seven days to become the oldest major winner, but he’s been upfront about facing up to his current game.

Other than a joint-second finish at the 2023 Masters, his top performance in any major post-PGA title is a tied-43rd finish this year at Augusta National. Mickelson has failed to make the cut in seven out of the twelve major events since picking up his sixth championship title at Valhalla.

Mickelson opened up about his troubles on the LIV tour when quizzed during a press conference. He stated candidly: “I’m realistic with where I’m at. I’m 54 and I’m putting in the work. I also have a unique opportunity because of the fact that physically I’ve been able to withstand injuries and been able to be in better shape to do something at an age that nobody else has done, but I have not played at that level that I need to.”

He continued: “I see glimpses and my teammates see glimpses of me being where I expect to be able to compete at this level, but I’m also realistic with myself, and if I’m not able to, I’ll step aside and let somebody come on in and take the HyFlyers to new levels.”

Mickelson says he would offer to step aside to allow new talent to flourish ( Image: Getty Images)

The American has exemptions for all four majors until at least 2026, and is set to play in The Open through 2030. He also has lifetime exemptions for The Masters and PGA Championship. Mickelson added that he wants to keep his game sharp in a bid to break his oldest major record. “I would love to compete and give myself a chance to win in those [majors], and I also want to build this out and create a culture that is sustainable and that people strive to be a part of,” he said.

Mickelson insisted he’ll be involved with LIV for the rest of his life, even when his playing days are done. “How I do that, whether it’s internally as a player and so forth, or whether it’s strictly from the outside,” he added: “I’m going to be intricately involved with the HyFlyers going forward probably the rest of my life and then my playing career, I’ll be realistic where I’m at, too.”

The six-time major winner is currently 44th in the LIV Golf standings, just five places above the drop zone after finishing T34 at the JCB Golf and Country Club in Rocester, England last time out. In 2023, Mickelson finished 39th in the players’ standings and 34th in 2022.