Perhaps Harold Varner III was talking about Phil Mickelson before the 2023 Masters when he called out his LIV Golf teammates.
As Varner saw it, the players who joined the breakaway tour aren’t growing the game: they are growing their wallets and he tells them as much.
Varner also said the first major of the year presented an opportunity for the LIV players to prove that they don’t suck.
“I haven’t really looked [at the leaderboard],” Varner said after posting a final round of 70 to sit T-29 at the 87th Masters.
“But looking at it right now, yeah, I guess they don’t suck. I suck, though.”
Then Varner was asked about the impressive performance of Phil Mickelson, who charged up the leaderboard on Sunday.
Mickelson previously confirmed his gambling would have threatened his financial security had he not addressed his demons.
Though according to Varner it appears Mickelson is still dabbling. Varner was asked if he saw this performance coming from Mickelson.
He said:
“Yes, he took a lot of money off me, and he was playing really well. I told him on No. 9 you’re hitting it pretty good for an old man. So it doesn’t surprise me.
“I think he’s been around here a few times. I think that helps out a lot around here. So it doesn’t really surprise me, but I would have loved to have been in that group. That would have been awesome.”
Mickelson was visibly emotional after returning to Augusta National.
Varner continued:
“I don’t know why he was so emotional. I think he’s been through a lot. I’d be pretty emotional too. I think he’s done a lot in this last year.
“His life’s been turned upside down, some his fault, some not, and I think — I don’t know what he’s really been through, but from the outside looking in, I’d be pretty emotional as well.”
Varner just about squeaked into the top-50 players in the OWGR to qualify for this Masters.
It could be his last, given the breakaway tour doesn’t have world ranking points.
Varner said “it is what it is” and he’s “alright with it” if he never gets to play Augusta National again
Before he departed the media area, Varner confirmed he was planning to hit up a casino before travelling to Australia to play LIV Golf Tucson.