Phil Mickelson Urges DOJ Action After PGA Tour Suspends Wesley Bryan

Wesley Bryan, a former PGA Tour winner, has been suspended by the PGA Tour for participating in 'The Duels,' a LIV Golf-affiliated influencer event, despite not currently holding a PGA Tour card and having shifted much of his focus to YouTube content creation. The suspension has sparked controversy, with prominent LIV golfer Phil Mickelson publicly criticizing the PGA Tour for what he calls an illegal ban of an independent contractor and urging the Department of Justice to intervene. Mickelson and other LIV supporters argue that the PGA Tour is enforcing its rules inconsistently and accuse it of monopolistic, coercive practices, especially as the Tour allows some influencers, like Grant Horvat, to participate in events while penalizing others. The incident has highlighted tensions between traditional golf institutions and new media-driven formats, as well as ongoing rivalry between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf. Bryan has expressed concern about his career but remains supportive of the YouTube golf community. The PGA Tour has not officially commented on the specifics or duration of Bryan's suspension.