Phil Mickelson’s reaction to the split between the LIV golfer and his longtime coach

Paul Casey and his longtime coach, Peter Kostis, have ended their relationship after 24 years. Casey is a well-known name in the golf world and is one of the golfers who signed with LIV Golf, which came as a bit of a surprise. Peter Kostis announced the end of their partnership on social media, but it’s clear that he enjoyed their time working together. Many find it hard to imagine one without the other, but Kostis has other plans in mind. Casey had immense trust in him, given the length of their collaboration.

“Every teacher/student relationship has a half-life,” he wrote.

“Long-term relationships are getting rarer and rarer these days and I’m proud of the number of students I’ve had for 10-15-20-30 years and even longer in a few cases!”

The 77-year-old American coach believes that after many years of collaboration, the best decision for him is to step back as Casey’s coach. The experienced golf coach didn’t want to go deeply into the reasons for his decision, emphasizing that he hopes it will be respected. 

Kostis sees himself as an important mentor to Casey, playing a key role in his journey to becoming a world-class golfer. He is proud of the experiences they shared, filled with a lot of memorable moments. Looking back on their partnership, there were many highs as well as some lows, but they will surely cherish the good times. Both were important figures in each other’s lives, and the chemistry between them was always evident.

“Reluctantly, after 24 years I feel it’s best for me to step away from my work with Paul Casey. My reasons are both personal and private and will remain as such. Helping him become an elite ball-striker and world-class player from the days he left ASU all the way to today was a very rewarding journey and I wish him well going forward.”- he said, as quoted by MIRROR.

Paul Casey has achieved huge success throughout his golf career, with over 20 titles on both the PGA and European Tours. His dedication and talent have made him a member of the Ryder Cup team. Casey also reached the 3rd spot on the world rankings, placing him among the best players in golf history. His performances in major tournaments, including the Masters, have been impressive, showing his consistency over the years. 

The 47-year-old English golfer has been particularly impressive in recent years, especially during his time on the PGA Tour. However, not long after that, he made the controversial decision to join LIV Golf, which sparked frustration and criticism from some fans and experts. Yet, Paul Casey appears to have no regrets about this choice. 

Phil Mickelson reacts

The news of his split from longtime coach Peter Kostis did not go unnoticed in the golf community, with notable figures like Phil Mickelson reacting. Phil, who has had the opportunity to play alongside Casey in LIV Golf, took to social media to express his thoughts on the important news. He praised the partnership between Casey and Kostis, stating that their collaboration was amazing and that many would miss the bond they shared. Phil also congratulated both of them for their accomplishments over the years.

“What a long and successful partnership you have had together. Congratulations to you both.”– Phil Mickelson said.

Paul Casey and his interesting reasons for joining LIV Golf

What really caught attention were Paul Casey’s comments earlier this year about why he chose to join the Saudi-backed LIV Golf tour. While many expected him to talk about things like fewer events, money, or how golf is changing, he actually said the main reason was his caddie, Johnny McLaren.

“Johnny and I have been best mates and a team for the last eight years. Well, Johnny had a brain tumour removed last April, so when you’re never quite sure what is going on in peoples’ lives, there’s a lot. That is something Johnny and I spoke about and that is another reason why we went to LIV because we couldn’t keep doing what we were doing.”

Paul Casey stressed that the strict COVID protocols on the PGA Tour became overwhelming for him and his caddie, Johnny McLaren. He recalled a situation where they received false positives while traveling to Japan, which meant they would face a 10-day lockdown in their hotel rooms. This stress pushed both of them to a breaking point, leading them to realize they couldn’t continue under such conditions. Given Johnny’s health issues at the time, this experience provided additional insight into Casey’s decision to join LIV Golf.

As we have already said, judging by everything, the Englishman is satisfied with this Tour, hoping for even more impressive things in the future.