Phil Mickelson took aim at Fred Couples on Tuesday in a fiery post on X after Couples declared that LIV Golf star Brooks Koepka wants to return to the PGA Tour.
Mickelson, one of the faces of LIV Golf and one of the original Tour defectors, later deleted the tweet in which he trashed Couples for making public comments about Koepka’s intentions.
“If it’s not true, he damaged a relationship which he cares about. If it is true he took away Brook’s [sic] control of the timeline and narrative. Either way this is a low class jerk move by Fred,” Mickelson wrote.
Couples addressed Koepka’s status during a radio interview Monday with KJR 93.3 FM in Seattle.
“I talk to Brooks Koepka all the time,” Couples said, per ESPN. “I love Brooks Koepka, and I’m not going to say anything extra except I talk to him all the time — ‘Where are you playing next? When are you going?’ and all this stuff.
“He wants to come back. I will say that: I believe he really wants to come back and play the Tour.”
This isn’t the first time Couples, an outspoken LIV Golf critic, and Mickelson have traded barbs; the former called the latter a “nutbag” two years ago.
The past Masters winners will cross paths at Augusta during the champions dinner next month.
Koepka, 34, is a five-time major champion, with two U.S. Open titles and three PGA Championship wins on his résumé.
His 2023 PGA Championship win marked the first major victory by a LIV Golf player.
Koepka joined LIV in 2022 for a contract reportedly worth more than $100 million over three years.
Talks have been ongoing between the PGA Tour and the Saudi leadership running LIV Golf regarding bridging a gap between the two rivals and allowing LIV players to partake in Tour events.
Since LIV Golf’s inception, players defecting there have lost their Tour cards.
