Jon Rahm returns to PGA Tour; Phil Mickelson doubles down on LIV Golf

It's a loaded field on the PGA Tour for the CJ Cup in South Carolina this week.

Jon Rahm, who won the Spanish Open for a third time nine days ago, now has seven international victories to go along with his seven Tour wins. He's among the six top-10 golfers in the Official World Golf Ranking teeing it up this week.

Top-ranked Scottie Scheffler and second-ranked Rory McIlroy are also in the field. McIlroy is the defending champion of the tournament that was held in Las Vegas last year. Rahm (5), Justin Thomas (8), Collin Morikawa (9) and Matt Fitzpatrick (10) are also all set to play this week.

The tournament was held in Korea the first three times but moved to the U.S. due to COVID restrictions in 2020.

Mickelson digs in against PGA Tour

Phil Mickelson hardened his position on the upstart LIV Golf Series, which had its seventh event of its inaugural season in Saudi Arabia, last weekend.

When speaking to the media in in King Abdullah Economic City, Mickelson raved about the circuit's current and future status in the game of golf.

“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 before the 54-hole, no-cut event got started. “We play against a lot of the best players in the world on LIV and there are a lot of the best players in the world on the PGA Tour. And until some of the — well until both sides sit down and have a conversation and work something out, both sides are going to continue to change and evolve.”

LIV’s continued pursuit of evolution took another step when it announced a “strategic alliance” with the little-known MENA Tour in an effort to receive Official World Golf Ranking points for its players.

Despite its lack of recognition so far, Mickelson believes LIV and the PGA Tour are headed in opposite directions.

“I see LIV Golf trending upwards, I see the PGA Tour trending downwards and I love the side that I’m on. And I love how I feel. I love how I’m reinvigorated and excited to play golf and compete. I love the experience. I love the way they treat us.”

Mickelson’s LIV resume has improved over the last few events. After opening with four straight finishes outside the top 30 in 48-man fields, the 52-year-old grabbed eighth in Chicago and 17th in Bangkok.

Mickelson, currently suspended by the PGA Tour for joining LIV Golf, will not be eligible for the upcoming Charles Schwab Cup Championship, a title he won a year ago at Phoenix Country Club.

John Daly to be topic of new movie

John Daly's story is set to be told on the big screen.

According to a report from Above the Line, actor Jonah Hill, known for roles in “Wolf of Wall Street,” “Moneyball” and “Superbad,” will portray Daly in an upcoming biopic.

The film will dive into the “excesses, scandals and athletic achievements” of the two-time major champion, according to ATL.

The 56-year-old Daly won the 1991 PGA Championship at Crooked Stick and the 1995 Open Championship at the Old Course. In total, he took home five PGA Tour titles. He remains one of the most popular players in golf.

College fall season wrapping up

College golf's fall season is coming to a close. The action restarts in January with all eyes in Division I on Scottsdale's Grayhawk Golf Club in May 2023 for the third and final hosting of the NCAA championships.

Here's a look at where the D-I teams in Arizona are playing this month:

—ASU men: East Lake Cup, Oct. 24-26, in Atlanta; ASU women: Stanford Intercollegiate, Oct. 21-23, in Stanford, California.

—Arizona men: Isleworth Collegiate, Oct. 23-25, in Windermere, Florida; Arizona women: Marilynn Smith Invitational, Oct. 17-18, in Lawrence, Kansas.

—Also, both the ASU and UA women's teams will play in the Pac-12 Preview, Oct. 31-Nov. 2, in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii.

—NAU women: The Clash at Boulder Creek, Oct. 23-25, in Boulder City, Nevada.

—GCU men: Stockton Invitational, Oct. 20-22, in Stockton, California, and Saint Mary's Invitational, Oct. 31-Nov. 2, at Pebble Beach, California; GCU women: Rainbow Wahine Invitational, Oct. 24-26, in Oahu, Hawaii.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Jon Rahm returns PGA Tour; Phil Mickelson doubles down on LIV Golf