Phil Mickelson won't discuss 'PGA Tour issues' as LIV debut nears

HEMEL HEMPSTEAD, England — Phil Mickelson, making his first public appearance since February, would neither confirm nor deny that he has been suspended or banned by the PGA Tour for joining the rival LIV Golf tour.

«I choose not to speak publicly on PGA Tour issues at this time,» Mickelson said Wednesday morning.

Mickelson did emphasize several times that he is sorry for recent controversial comments that led to his decision to take time away from golf, including his decision not to defend his PGA Championship victory last month.

«I've said and done a lot of things that I regret,» Mickelson said. «I'm sorry for that and sorry for the hurt it caused a lot of people.»

Mickelson is part of a 48-man field for the upstart LIV Golf league that will hold its first event beginning Thursday at Centurion Club outside London. Also among the field are Kevin Na and Dustin Johnson, who were among several golfers to announce over the past week that they were resigning their PGA Tour memberships.

Sources previously told ESPN's Mark Schlabach that PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan told player agents at last week's Memorial in Dublin, Ohio, that players had to choose whether they were going to play on the PGA Tour or in the LIV Golf series and that they couldn't play in both. Monahan has threatened players who competed in London without releases with discipline, including fines, suspensions and/or bans.

Mickelson answered questions from reporters for nearly 30 minutes but declined several times to get specific about comments he made to journalist Alan Shipnuck that were published in February where he stated that the owners of LIV Golf were «scary motherf---ers to get involved with.»

LIV Golf is supported by the Public Investment Fund of