Phil Mickelson joins LIV Golf Series as Tiger Woods turns down 'mind-blowing' offer

Phil Mickelson will make his return to competitive golf at the LIV Golf Invitational Series opener in London, the six-time major winner confirmed on Monday, after signing up to play in the lucrative new tour.

Mickelson, who will be in the 48-player field at Centurion Club on Friday, said he also plans to play major events, including next week's US Open.

"I am ready to come back to play the game I love but after 32 years this new path is a fresh start," Mickelson wrote in a statement posted on Twitter.

Mickelson later on Monday told Sports Illustrated that he plans to play all eight LIV Golf events and compete in majors after talks with major sanctioning bodies.

"I'm looking forward to playing the US Open," Mickelson said. "I'm under the understanding that I'm able to play."

Mickelson said he will keep his US PGA Tour membership, unlike some who joined LIV Golf, but has not spoken with PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan or long-time rival Tiger Woods.

"I'm uncertain how I will play given that I haven't played in a few months," Mickelson told SI. "But I'm optimistic."

Mickelson has not played since the publication of comments in February when he said he was using the new Saudi Arabia-backed LIV Golf enterprise as leverage against the PGA Tour.

Mickelson, a 45-time winner on the PGA Tour, apologised when his original remarks were made public and took some "desperately needed time away" from golf, skipping the Masters and his PGA Championship title defence during his self-imposed exile.

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"There's a lot of things I regret," Mickelson told SI. "I made a lot of mistakes. I hurt a lot of people and I'm really sorry."

During his absence, however, LIV Golf has forged ahead, with dozens of household names