Mickelson’s absence leaving bizarre void players wish was Philled
TULSA, Okla. — His presence is being felt almost as much in his absence than if he were actually at Southern Hills this week. Where’s Phil?
Nobody knows.
Phil Mickelson delivered one of the most scintillating and unlikely golf moments in the sport’s history a year ago when he captured the 2021 PGA Championship on Kiawah Island’s Ocean Course at age 50 to become the oldest major champion ever.
That Mickelson is not at Southern Hills this week to defend one of the most glorious titles of his brilliant career is as disappointing as it is puzzling.
Since his inflammatory comments about the PGA Tour and the Saudi golf league fronted by Greg Norman were made public some three months ago, Mickelson has been in a disturbing state of selfexile, missing last month’s Masters, his favorite tournament, and this week’s PGA for a celebration of his most remarkable accomplishment.
As it relates to golf, the greatest shame from all of this is that, at age 51, the window of opportunity for Mickelson’s
to pick off a seventh career major championship is closing rapidly — if it hasn’t already been shut.
Mickelson isn’t just on the back nine of his PGA Tour career, he’s on the 17th hole. He doesn’t have many more shots before the round is over.
So, for Mickelson not to be at Augusta trying to win a fourth green jacket and not here this week to defend perhaps his most cherished title is bad for golf.
Next month’s U.S. Open — the one major title Mickelson is missing to complete a career Grand Slam — is now on the clock. Will he or won’t he be at The Country Club in Brookline, Mass.?
This week at Southern Hills, his absence has been a dominant topic of conversation amongst players, with polarizing opinions.
“This should be a celebration,” Rory McIlroy said. “He won a major championship at 50 years old. It was possibly his last big, big moment in the game of golf. I think he should be here this week and celebrating what a monumental achievement he achieved last year. It’s unfortunate. It’s sad.”
Later, in an interview with Sky Sports, McIlroy had more to say about Mickelson.
“He’s made a decision and has to live with certain consequences,” McIlroy said. “People can say there were actions, but for the most part they were words. And I think people can be forgiven for words. I came out a little strongly against him at the start, but my stance has definitely softened over the last few weeks.
“Phil Mickelson has been a legend in our game for the last 30 years and I certainly don’t think he should be shut out of the game. He said some bad things and offended some people, but I don’t think that
makes it right to completely shut him out from the game.”
Tiger Woods called it “always disappointing when the defending champion is not here,” but added, “Phil has said some things that I think a lot of us who are committed to the Tour and committed to the legacy of the Tour have pushed back against. Obviously, we’re going to have difference of opinions, how he sees the Tour, and we’ll go from there.
“He’s taken some personal time, and we all understand that. We all wish him the best when he comes back. As a professional, we miss him being out here. I mean, he’s a big draw for the game of golf.”
Despite the fact that Mickelson — both privately and publicly — has reached out to Woods on several occasions when Woods was in a bad place in is life, Woods said he has not tried to contact Mickelson and it didn’t sound like he has plans to, either.
“I don’t know what he’s going through,’’ Woods said. “But I know the comments he made about the Tour and the way that it should be run, it could be run and all the different financials that could have happened … I just have a very different opinion on that.’’
Viktor Hovland called Mickelson not defending his title “a bizarre situation.”
“I think we all would have liked to have Phil here and tee it up and see how he would have done [because] the way he won it last year was pretty spectacular,’’ Hovland said.
When we see Mickelson return to golf is anyone’s guess.
“Phil is a good friend of mine … and he’s got to do what’s best for him,” said Jon Rahm, who was recruited to play at Arizona State by Mickelson’s brother, Tim, who is now Rahm’s caddy. “I would have liked to see him defend.”
So would just about everybody associated with golf.