Four years have passed since Phil Mickelson, sitting comfortably in the far-off land of Saudi Arabia, opened up on his feelings about the PGA Tour. “Obnoxious greed” was the most telling/startling charge; the five-time major champion revving up a fair head of steam in his condemnation of the circuit on which he had, at that time, picked up prize money in excess of $90m.

Still, let’s not be too harsh on dear, old Phil. There was and is much truth in what he had to say. In many ways, the PGA Tour is obnoxious. And, in almost every way, it is greedy. Indeed, in a golf world over-flowing with political self-interest, the men and women who run the show at Ponte Vedra Beach in Florida have no equals. 

When it comes to doing what is best for the PGA Tour, never mind any and all negative consequences elsewhere, they are in a class of their own. It might be a stretch to say they have no feeling for the game they use and abuse to make almost unimaginable sums of money, but it is not a big stretch. Only rarely has this long-time close observer discerned any kind of real affection for golf among the navy blue-blazered army of PGA Tour officials. 

Which brings me to the point of this column. Among all of its dodgy behaviour, the PGA Tour isn’t even above a bout of self-harm if it is perversely deemed to be to its own advantage. I am talking, of course, about the Presidents Cup. 

PLUS...

Cleary: PGA Tour's flagship is a beauty. But "fifth major"? Please.

The Players Championship is equal parts spectacle and significance, a tournament rich in history, politics and contradictions, and played on a stadium course created by the great Pete and Alice Dye. But fifth major? Never was, never will be, according to Matt Cleary.

Created by the PGA Tour and run by the PGA Tour, the biennial contest between the United States and an International squad drawn from anywhere on the planet other than Europe has since its inception in 1994 been dominated by Uncle Sam’s nephews. Only once, at Royal Melbourne in 1998, has the International team prevailed, although the 2003 tie at Fancourt in South Africa came close to doubling that number of successes. Otherwise? Wall-to-wall American victories.

As a result, the Presidents Cup has never been anything other than a distant second – in almost every respect – to the Ryder Cup, in which the U.S takes on the Europeans. Almost foregone conclusions just aren’t that interesting, especially when compared to matches that, while not always competitive, carry with them more than a whiff of contention. In the Ryder Cup, everyone taking part cares an awful lot about the end result. 

Of course, it must be acknowledged that the same can be said of the PGA Tour when it comes to the Presidents Cup. But not in a good way, especially recently. By banning anyone who has dared to participate on the LIV Golf League, the PGA Tour has gone a long way to guaranteeing American success.

As things stand, it isn’t impossible for the International side to win at Medinah later this year, but my goodness it’s a lot more difficult. 

Anirban Lahiri. Ben Campbell. Cam Smith. Lucas Herbert. Elvis Smylie. Marc Leishman. Louis Oosthuizen. Dean Burmester. Branden Grace. Charl Schwartzel. Joaquin Niemann. Abraham Ancer. Sebastian Munoz. Carlos Ortiz.

While one could never argue that all of the men on that list are currently capable of making the 12-strong International team which non-playing captain Geoff Ogilvy will lead into battle at Medinah this September, it is reasonable to claim at least five of them would make an away victory more likely.

But no, the PGA Tour just won’t have it. None of those names will feature. Overstepping what should be the appropriate area of responsibility, the PGA Tour won’t allow Ogilvy the opportunity to lead his optimum team. And in so doing, they won’t give the International side its best chance of victory. 

(Okay, the U.S team won’t be at full-strength, either, but missing Bryson De Chambeau isn’t going to hurt them too much, given the depth skipper Brandt Snedeker has at his potential disposal). 

I mean, really. The level of influence exerted by the PGA Tour in an event with such obvious potential is clearly a nonsense. The band of brothers and sisters currently led by a soon-to-be-replaced commissioner, Jay Monahan, has no business inserting its unwanted nose into the composition of the International team. That, it hardly needs to be said, should be the responsibility of the team captain and his assistants. And no one else. 

This column, of course, wishes Ogilvy and his eventual team every success. Victory is far from unthinkable, but because of the relentlessly inward-looking policies of the PGA Tour, it is less likely than it might otherwise be. Which is a shame, an injustice and far from the ideal truly competitive sport should be. I am sure Phil would agree.