The upcoming US Open is about to be one in every of golf's most uncomfortable tournaments. Rival golfers will grace the identical greens for the primary occasion for the reason that PGA Tour introduced a merger cope with LIV Golf.

Ahead of the match, the outspoken Rory McIlroy and Phil Mickelson had been set for an ungainly reunion. In a momentous event the pair had been listed to play an unlikely apply spherical collectively earlier than the US Open acquired underway.

Both golfers have been sat on reverse sides of the fence since LIV Golf's arrival in 2022. The Saudi-backed tour rapidly turned the subject of a lot competition amongst golfers, splitting gamers down the center.

Mickleson, a 45-time PGA Tour winner, was one of many first golfers to affix the league and has continously spoken extremely of the tour. McIlroy, a 23-time PGA Tour winner, pledged his loyalty to the PGA and bemoaned gamers for leaving.

Shortly after the news that McIlroy and Mickelson would be part of forces on the apply spherical, McIlroy was then changed with LIV Golf's David Puig. It comes as no shock that the itemizing was seemingly a mix-up given the duo's historical past.

In a latest encouter between the 2, McIlroy was seen discussing the necessity for an offseason in a video that circulated social media. Mickelson was fast to react to his quotes, calling out the golf star on Twitter: "As worn out as Mclroy [sic] was after the Masters and his need for an off season, LIV would be perfect for him. Problem is I don’t think there’s a team that wants him on it because they’d have to deal with all his bs."

McIlroy continues to talk out towards the Saudi-backed tour. When just lately requested about LIV Golf following the merger, the 34-year-old reitterated: "I hate LIV. I hope that it goes away".

The apply spherical should have some factor of awkwardness regardless of McIlroy's departure. Fellow PGA Tour loyalist Jon Rahm continues to be set to play alongside Mickelson and Puig.

The Spaniard was provided the possibility to affix LIV Golf for a reported $400 million however turned the supply down. In a latest press convention, Rahm made his emotions clear on the PGA and LIV merger: “I think the general feeling is that a lot of people feel a bit of betrayal from management.

“I understand why they had to keep it so secret. It’s just not easy as a player that’s been involved, like many others, to wake up one day and see this bombshell. That’s why we’re all in a bit of a state of limbo because we don’t know what’s going on, how much is finalized, and how much they can talk about, either.”