Phil Mickelson gives Tiger Woods surprising vote of confidence that’s likely not in his best interest

Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images for The Match

Phil Mickelson showed support for Tiger Woods after the news of the latter being named to the PGA Tour’s Policy Board.

Tiger Woods has a new job. Tuesday he was named the sixth Player Director on the PGA Tour’s policy board.

Phil Mickelson, one of the biggest LIV Golf advocates, shared his thoughts about Woods’ new gig.

“This is great to see,” Mickelson said. “Players having equal representation on the board, Tiger getting more involved, and accountability across the board. Awesome news.”

Interestingly, Mickelson sent his approval because of the implications of player transparency and accountability.

But with Woods on the board, the players now have the six of the 12 seats.

The 12th seat exists for PGA of America Director John Lindert. Even though that seat retains voting power, it has generally not been part of the voting process in the past.

That means players can potentially veto changes to the Framework with the Saudi PIF.

So, technically Mickelson is correct in saying it gives equal representation on the board. But the players might very well hold the cards.

It’s nice to see Lefty voicing support for his former rival. Their rivalry was one for the ages, with neither player seeming to like one another while racking up championships.

Mickelson, the six-time major winner, has been one of the most outspoken critics of the PGA Tour and its policies. Conversely, he has amplified LIV Golf and eagerly anticipates next season.

The future of LIV Golf is still uncertain. There have been numerous contradicting reports, but most signs have pointed to its existence beyond this year.

However, if Woods and Rory McIlroy had their way, that might not be the case. They are two of the six Player Directors on the policy board who might just have that veto power.