Phil Mickelson denies having broadcast interests after retiring from golf

Phil Mickelson has long seemed destined for the broadcast booth when he retires from golf. But that interest now appears to have waned.

Earlier this week, Toronto sportswriter and radio host Chris McKee tweeted about Mickelson’s future as a broadcaster, wondering whether any PGA TV partners would be willing to offer him an analyst role in spite of his ties with the Tour’s Saudi-backed rival LIV Golf.

But if CBS, ESPN, or NBC were considering the prospect of putting Mickelson on their network, the six-time major champion made that decision a little bit easier this week. Mickelson responded to McKee’s post, claiming he’s not eyeing a second career in broadcasting. Instead, he plans on shooting “Pros vs Schmos 9-hole matches.”

Thank you for the kind words. However, just cuz someone CAN do something doesn’t mean they SHOULD do it. Instead of commentating, I’m going to shoot some Pros vs Schmos 9 hole matches. I’ll share insights throughout as well as talk a little smack. It won’t be the highest quality…

— Phil Mickelson (@PhilMickelson) May 8, 2024

“Thank you for the kind words,” Mickelson wrote back to McKee. “However, just cuz someone CAN do something doesn’t mean they SHOULD do it. Instead of commentating, I’m going to shoot some Pros vs Schmos 9 hole matches. I’ll share insights throughout as well as talk a little smack. It won’t be the highest quality video but it’ll be fun for me to do and fun to watch I think too.”

This is a pretty big about-face for Mickelson, who appeared to be preparing for a broadcasting career in recent years. Mickelson served as an analyst alongside Charles Barkley for the fifth edition of The Match and shone during a cameo with CBS after the third round of the PGA Championship in 2020. Early in 2021, Mickelson’s agent Steve Loy even mapped out a potential broadcasting plan for his longtime business partner.

“We’re always in discussions about Phil’s future,” Loy told Front Office Sports in 2021. “It wouldn’t surprise me if in the next 12 to 24 months you might see more of Phil on the air.”

Instead of seeing more of Phil on the air, Mickelson burned his bridges with the PGA Tour in those 12 to 24 months by going to LIV Golf. Considering the hard feelings between Mickelson and the PGA, it’s hard to envision him ever promoting the Tour by joining one of their TV partners. Maybe that’s why Mickelson has since turned his sights toward talking smack during 9-hole matches on low quality video when he retires.

[Phil Mickelson]