Phil Mickelson on Tiger Woods: "It's not like we're going to sit there and chat"
Phil Mickelson has confirmed he talked to Tiger Woods at The Open as the duo were spotted together for the first time in years.
Phil Mickelson and his old adversary Tiger Woods sent social media into a frenzy before The Open got underway.
Both golfers were filmed right next to each other on the range at Royal Troon going through their preparations.
They have never been friends but, for the most part, have behaved amicably to each other over the years.
But things turned sour when Mickelson decided to join the LIV Golf League.
A staunch advocate of the PGA Tour, one can only guess what Woods thought of his old rival.
There were unsubstantiated rumours that Woods orchestrated Mickelson not being allowed to attend the past champions' dinner at the landmark 150th Open at St Andrews two years ago.
Woods, 48, and Mickelson, 54, went through their preparations for the major side-by-side on Wednesday.
Was this the first time they properly crossed paths since the world of elite men's professional golf was sent into a tailspin?
Who knows if they've talked.
Woods endured another torrid performance in a major, missing the halfway cut by a country mile.
It was his third missed cut in a row.
Mickelson managed to make it through to the weekend and added a 72 on Saturday morning, which left him on 6-over for the major.
The six-time major champion, by his standards, has been keeping somewhat of a low-profile this week.
Mickelson did confirm though that he spoke to Woods.
But it wasn't as if if either player had time to stop and talk.
"We said hi," Mickelson said.
He added: "Yeah, we said hi, but we were both preparing.
"It's not like we're going to sit there and chat. But we said hello, yeah."
Woods is now heavily involved in shaping the future of the men's game.
He's part of the transaction subcommittee that is dealing in face-to-face talks with the Saudi financiers of LIV Golf.
Mickelson is not involved in those talks and nor does he want to be.
Despite the ongoing talks, we are no closer to having a definitive answer as to what will happen going forward.
Woods cited the talks, among other commitments, as a reason why he rejected the US Ryder Cup captaincy.
"Look, I don't know about that stuff," Mickelson said, referencing the negotiations.
"I'm not involved. I'm not sitting in those rooms.
"I am enjoying where I'm at and what I'm doing and playing. I'll let other people figure that stuff out."
"I'm enjoying the fact that we're able to do that now"
Mickelson wore a pair of joggers at Royal Troon earlier this week.
He was defeated in a match by the YouTube golf sensation Grant Horvat and wearing the attire was the forfeit.
Mickelson said he has no plans to do YouTube content full-time, but he'll dabble.
"I'm enjoying the fact that we're able to do that now, certain guys at least, and I enjoy that element of it," he said.
"I think that what Grant Horvat has done is create a whole different market for golf in that you can have a career in the game and not even play professionally.
"He's very charismatic and attracts players that are a lot younger that wouldn't maybe be exposed to the game in a whole different way than the normal medias that we have used in the game of golf, YouTube and stuff, and they're now part of it. He's transcending into that market."
Mickelson added: "I think it's brilliant. Bryson is doing the same thing. I'll dabble.
"It's not like I'm going to do it full-time like these guys because I have other things I enjoy doing, and I'll dabble in it, and it's fun. It's enjoyable."
