Phil Mickelson has insisted the LIV Golf Series is "here to stay" and claimed it will "never be the case again" that the PGA Tour has "all the best players in the world".
Mickelson was among the first group of golfers to defect to the controversial Saudi-backed tour and the six-time Major winner has called for LIV and the PGA to "come together". Speaking during LIV's fifth event in Chicago, he said: "The PGA Tour for the last 20 or 30 years have had all the best players in the world.
"That will never be the case again. LIV Golf is here to stay, and this type of divisive talk is doing nobody good.
"The best solution is for us to come together. I think that the world of professional golf has a need for the old, historical history of the game product that the PGA Tour provides, and I think that LIV provides a really cool, updated feel that is attracting a lot younger crowd.
"That's being proven in the people that are watching and the age of the people that are watching. I think both are needed for the game of golf. Both are good for the game of golf.
"The inclusion of LIV Golf in the ecosystem of the golf world is necessary. As soon as that happens and we all start working together, that's going to be a really positive thing for everyone."
However, the tour's CEO Greg Norman said earlier this month they have "no interest" in negotiating with the PGA, accusing them of "trying to destroy" LIV. He told The Australian : "This notion we're trying to destroy tours is not true.
"The PGA Tour is trying to destroy us, it's as simple as that. The PGA Tour has not sat down and had a conversation with myself or any of my investors. We tried awfully hard, I know I did personally for the past year.
"When we knew we were never going to hear from them, we just decided to go. We have no interest in sitting down with them, to be honest with you, because our product is working."
