Phil Mickelson's comments in Saudi Arabia could give clues to the future of professional golf

As contentious and controversial as ever, Saudi Arabia has once again become the centre of golf's universe.

The annual Saudi International is underway, boasting the strongest field it — or any Asian Tour event — has ever seen, but events on-course have very much taken a back seat to what is transpiring behind the scenes.

In many ways, the future of the professional game is being decided on and around the Kingdom's Royal Greens Golf and Country Club.

There's a bit to break down.

Saudi influence in professional golf has been growing for some time, and is coming to a head with the creation of LIV Golf Investments and its partnership with the Asian Tour.

There are a couple of things to note about LIV Golf. Its chief executive is Greg Norman, and it is backed by the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, whose ties to the Saudi government are difficult to debate.

LIV Golf is bringing a series of events to the Asian Tour, and are hoping to lure some of the biggest names in the game with an unprecedented prize purse behind them.

As yet, no player has formally committed to the events, with some publicly stating they would not align themselves due to concerns with Saudi Arabia's human rights record.

Others, though, have been more evasive on the issue.

The six-time major winner is playing at the Saudi International currently, and during his pre-tournament media obligations started dropping bombs on the PGA Tour, the current home to the game's elite superstars.

His major grievance was about the PGA Tour's ownership of players' media rights, which Mickelson claims is worth «roughly $20 billion» all up and is reflective of the Tour's «obnoxious greed».

«I'm not sure how this is going to play out,» Mickelson told Golf Digest.

«I don't know what