Phil Mickelson says he is “too divisive” to become the United States’ Ryder Cup captain in 2025.
The six-time major winner, 53, was one of several high-profile golfers to join the Saudi-backed LIV Golf Tour in 2022.
Mickelson has a record 12 Ryder Cup appearances, his most recent coming in 2018.
“I don’t feel I’m the right guy to be involved with the team,” he told ESPN’s The Pat McAfee Show. “I’m a very divisive character right now, if you will, and I understand that.”
Mickelson was the US vice-captain at the 2021 Ryder Cup but did not feature in the 2023 event, won by Europe, having competed in every one between 1995 and 2018.
Five-time major winner Brooks Koepka was the only LIV player to feature in the 2023 US team because those players were unable to pick up Ryder Cup qualification points outside of the majors, as golf continued to navigate the split between LIV and the PGA Tour.
Mickelson was briefly suspended by the PGA Tour for promoting LIV Golf before he officially joined the league.
“The players on the PGA Tour, there’s a lot of hostilities towards me, and I don’t feel I’d be the best leader for them,” he added. “I knew I was going to take some hits going forward, and I’m OK with that.
“And as a divisive individual, I don’t think I’m the best unifier going forward for the Ryder Cup, and that’s fine because I’ve had so many great memories with it.”
