Phil Mickelson Talks 'Intriguing' Premier Golf League Featuring $10M Purses

If the Premier Golf League becomes a real thing, Phil Mickelson sounds like he would entertain the idea of joining it. 

Per ESPN's Bob Harig, Mickelson called the potential for a new tour "intriguing." 

"I'm curious, but I don't know enough to talk about it," he said Friday. "I'm listening to it. I think it's intriguing, but I just don't know enough about it to comment publicly. I hope to learn more.''

Geoff Shackelford reported Thursday that organizers hope to start the league in 2022 or 2023 and are making a "fervent bid to lure top players away from the PGA and European Tours."

Shackelford added the original concept for the Premier Golf League includes a schedule of 18 events, which would run from January through September, with 48 players in the field, $10 million purses and a team championship at the end of each season. 

The concept was first reported in May 2018 by Andrew Both of Reuters, who noted the World Golf Group had been planning it "for more than a year."

Harig noted PGA Tour members are required to play at least 15 tournaments each year, and "the idea of getting 10 or more releases to play on a competing tour would make doing so problematic" for players to consider playing on both circuits.

For the 2020 season, per Athlon Sports, the PGA Tour has nine tournaments with a purse of at least $10 million.