Tiger Woods defends the PGA Tour’s heritage ahead of the PGA Championship. Tiger Woods defended the PGA Tour’s history ahead of the start of the Saudi-backed LIV Golf professional series next month.

Woods made it plain to the media Tuesday before the start of this week’s PGA Championship at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Oklahoma, that he fully supports the Tour that his forefathers Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer created to where it is now.
“I simply think there’s a legacy to what Jack and Arnold did in launching the Circuit and breaking away from the PGA of America and forming our tour in ’68 or ’69,” Woods said.

“I’ve been playing out here for a couple of years spanning decades, and I still believe the Tour has so much to give, so much possibility.”
When asked about comments made by fellow golfer Phil Mickelson, who has been critical of the Tour while also voicing support for the upstart LIV Golf Invitational Series, which is backed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, Woods expressed his support for the PGA Tour, which was founded in 1968.
“You know, he has his perspective on where he sees the game of golf headed,” Woods remarked in response to Mickelson’s remarks and I’ve always supported the Tour, and my charity has hosted events on the Tour.
“I understand differing points of view,” Woods concluded, “but I believe in legacies.” “Major championships are something I believe in. I believe in major events and historical individuals as analogies. There’s a lot of cash out here. The Tour is becoming more popular.”

Mickelson was quoted in a 2021 interview with biographer Alan Shipnuck saying disparaging things about Saudi Arabia’s human rights record and asserting that the kingdom killed journalist Jamal Khashoggi, while still expressing interest in joining the Saudi-funded LIV Golf venture because it might provide leverage to “reshape how the PGA Tour operates,” according to comments made in February.
Mickelson claimed his remarks were made off the record, which the reporter who interviewed him rejected, and that they were released out of context and without his permission. Following the scandal, Mickelson lost a number of endorsements and declared plans to retire from golf.
Mickelson, the tournament’s incumbent winner, first registered for the PGA Championship last month but then withdrew.

Despite their differences of opinion, Woods stated Tuesday that he missed having Mickelson on the course this week.
“When the reigning champion isn’t here, it’s always sad,” Woods said.
“Phil has stated certain things that I believe many of us who are dedicated to the Tour and its tradition have fought back against, and he’s taken some personal time, which we all understand. But I believe there is a lot of dispute among his supporters about how the Tour should or might be managed.

“However, as professionals, we all miss him being out here.