Phil Mickelson set to return at Saudi-backed LIV Golf event this week, reportedly signing a deal potentially worth $200 million

• Phil Mickelson will return to the golf course at the debut event of LIV Golf.
• Mickelson hasn't played competitively since his comments about the Saudi-backed upstart league nearly derailed the entire project before it could get off the ground.

Phil Mickelson is set to make his return to competitive golf, and will do so at the debut LIV Golf event being held this week just outside of London.

On Monday, LIV Golf announced that Mickelson had agreed to play in the event, adding five more players from the Asian Tour as well to finalize the field of 48 players for the upstart league's inaugural event.

In a statement, Mickelson said after his time away from the game and some self-reflection, he was ready to hit the course.

"I am ready to come back and play the game I love but after 32 years this new path is a fresh start, one that is exciting for me at this stage of my career and is clearly transformative, not just for myself, but ideally for the game and my peers," Mickelson wrote.

—Phil Mickelson (@PhilMickelson) June 6, 2022

Mickelson has not played a round of competitive golf since his comments on the Saudi-backed league were made public in February.

According to Brentley Romine of the Golf Channel, the deal that brought Mickelson to LIV Golf could be worth roughly $200 million.

—Brentley Romine (@BrentleyGC) June 6, 2022

Mickelson won't be the only big name playing with LIV Golf. Other PGA Tour stars, including Dustin Johnson, Sergio Garcia, and Ian Poulter, are all set to play in the event this week.

Additionally, more pros could be on the way over soon, with Rickie Fowler also having reportedly signed a deal with the new league.

Whether LIV Golf is the future of the sport or a breakaway league destined to fail remains to be seen, but at the very least, this week fans will have some actual golf to judge it upon.