Mickelson says Thompson ‘should be given the trophy’

AUGUSTA, United States: Phil Mickelson called for Lexi Thompson to be awarded the LPGA’s ANA Inspiration title despite a rules violation discovered by a television viewer that led to a four-stroke penalty.

Mickelson, a five- time major winner seeking his fourth green jacket when the year’s first men’s major tournament opens Thursday, said the decision to inflict the punishment for a dayold violation should be reversed.

“To have a tournament be decided like that, with all the scenarios going around, as far as viewers calling in, as far as it being a one foot putt with really no advantage – just a little bit of loose marking if you will, something that happens all the time, intentionally and unintentionally – I just think it should be reversed,” Mickelson said.

“I think that she should be given the trophy.”

Thompson was hit with a fourstroke penalty with six holes remaining in Sunday’s final round of the year’s first women’s major at Rancho Mirage for improperly replacing the ball on a one- foot putt, an infraction in Saturday’s third round spotted by a television viewer.

Despite being distraught at seeing her three- stroke lead erased, Thompson fought back to force a playoff before falling to South Korea’s Ryu So-Yeon.

“How in the world she did what she did I have no idea,” said 18time major winner Jack Nicklaus of Thompson’s fightback after the news.

RoryMcIl roy said the punishment far outweighed the crime. “It was tough on Lexi,” McIlroy said. — AFP