Mickelson: LIV trending upward, while TOUR heading down

As the men's professional golf landscape continues to evolve, Phil Mickelson said he believes LIV Golf will emerge victorious.

"I see LIV Golf trending up upwards, I see the PGA TOUR trending downwards, and I love the side that I'm on," Mickelson said Thursday ahead of LIV Golf's event in Saudi Arabia, per Golf Magazine's Josh Berhow.

Mickelson was one of the first prominent names to join Greg Norman's LIV Golf Series when he announced his commitment prior to the league's first event in June.

Since then, notable men's golfers have left the PGA TOUR to join the new rival league. Former TOUR contenders like Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau, and Brooks Koepka are suspended by the PGA TOUR or resigned from the league after joining the Saudi-backed circuit.

Mickelson said Thursday that he doesn't think the TOUR will ever be like it once was before LIV emerged.

"Pretty much all the best players played on the PGA TOUR, at least for the last 20 years," said the six-time major champion. "That will never be the case again. I think going forward, you have to pick a side. You have to pick what side you think is going to be successful."

LIV is trying to get the Official World Golf Rankings to recognize and award points for its events. Until it does, LIV's players will continue to slip down the rankings. Mickelson is currently ranked No. 138 in the world.

After nearly a full season on the new tour, the 52-year-old said he's made the right choice by jumping to LIV.

"I firmly believe that I'm on the winning side of how things are going to evolve and shape in the coming years for professional golf," Mickelson said.

LIV starts its penultimate event Friday at Royal Greens Golf and Country Club in Saudi Arabia before heading to Miami at the end of the month to cap the season with the Team Championship.

LIV announced Monday that Johnson secured the Individual Champion title following the conclusion of its Bangkok event.