PHIL MICKELSON has blasted former Masters champion Fred {Couples} in a now-deleted social media publish.

It got here after {Couples} steered that Brooks Koepka needed to depart LIV Golf and return to the PGA Tour.

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Koepka, 34, has made no secret of eager to play in choose PGA Tour occasions.

Nevertheless, the five-time majors winner cannot try this in the meanwhile because of his commitments to Saudi-backed LIV golf, who he joined in 2022 for a reported £77.5million ($100m).

{Couples}, 65, has been a staunch critic of LIV since its controversial breakaway.

Talking on US radio station KJR 93.3 FM, {Couples} stated: “I like Brooks Koepka and I’m not going to say something additional besides I speak to him on a regular basis.

“I’ll say I consider he actually desires to come back again and play the tour.”

However Mickelson, 54, took challenge with the feedback and addressed them bluntly by calling the 1992 Masters winner a “low-class jerk” in a deleted social media publish.

He stated: “If it’s not true, he broken a relationship which he cares about.

“If it’s true he took away Brooks’ management of the timeline and narrative.

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“Both means, it is a low-class jerk transfer by Fred.”

That is prone to result in a frosty reunion when the pair sit down collectively on the champions dinner at Augusta Nationwide subsequent month.

Koepka shouldn’t be the one LIV Golf star who has been pressured to make clear his place underneath the Saudi organisation, with Bryson DeChambeau additionally pressured to handle hypothesis about his future.

Forward of LIV’s occasion in Hong Kong, the two-time US Open Champion stated: “I’m very enthusiastic about the way forward for LIV Golf.

“I’m very excited to be the captain of the Crushers and proceed our legacy that we’re beginning to create.

“That’s my purpose, to create this lasting legacy the place we impression thousands and thousands and thousands and thousands of golfers’ lives world wide.

“That ought to let you know the whole lot you [need to] know.”

PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan refused to be drawn on the gossip surrounding LIV gamers looking for a return.

Monahan stated in Orlando on Tuesday: “I’m not going to get into any conversations that I did or didn’t have with gamers on LIV.

“I’m centered on the gamers which might be on the PGA Tour.

“It takes all of my power and my crew’s power to make it possible for we’re persevering with to enhance and strengthen the PGA Tour and doing so within the eyes of followers.

“In the end, that query goes to be answered by way of the conversations that we’re having with the PIF.”

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