Phil Mickelson 'very optimistic' on golf's future as sides talk - ESPN

In his first public comments since the PGA Tour's stunning alliance with the DP World Tour and Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund was announced June 6, six-time major champion Phil Mickelson said he's happy the sides are working to bring the fractured sport back together.

During a news conference Wednesday ahead of this week's LIV Golf League tournament in Spain, Mickelson told reporters that he thinks the plan to reshape the sport is ahead of schedule.

«I would say I felt appreciation that we got to this point where we're working together because it makes me confident with where the game of golf is headed in the future,» Mickelson said. «We felt like it was going to be about two years roughly before we got to that point. It took a year and a half or six months quicker than I thought it would be.»

Mickelson declined to talk to reporters at the U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club earlier this month, saying he didn't want to deflect attention from the major championship. He missed the cut and wasn't around for the weekend at LACC.

Mickelson has been heavily criticized for comments he made about the Saudi Arabian monarchy's history of human rights abuse and the PGA Tour's alleged «greed.» He lost several longtime sponsors before joining LIV Golf last year.

«Going forward, we're all very optimistic about where the game of golf, professional golf specifically, is headed,» Mickelson said Wednesday. «Also, a lot of the changes that have been made because of LIV were all very [appreciated], both on the LIV Tour as well as the PGA Tour, and we're happy for the guys out there that they're having some positive changes there, as well.»

The PGA Tour, DP World Tour and PIF have reached a framework agreement to form a new entity