Player comes to Mickelson’s defense
AUGUSTA — While the rest of the field teed off Thursday morning, the absence of three-time Masters champion Phil Mickelson continued to be felt.
The 51-year-old defending PGA champion has not played in a tour event since the Farmers Insurance Open in late January. He has not been seen publicly since he made controversial comments about potentially going into business with the Saudi Arabian government and a new proposed Saudi Super League, which would rival the PGA Tour.
However, another threetime Masters champion said it is time for Mickelson, the tour and the rest of the golf community to move on.
“I think we live in a time now when we are such a judgmental society, a litigious society, a critical society, where people get crucified,” Player said during the news conference after he helped get the 86th Masters started with a ceremonial tee shot. “The greatest
PR man on the golf tour in the last five or 10 years has been Phil Mickelson. He has been the ideal man for a sponsor, for professional golf, for the public, the way he’s handled the public, with dignity and with love.
“He makes a mistake, which every one of you in this room have made a damn mistake. We all have, and he said he’s sorry. But even the Lord God will forgive you of your inequities if you ask for
forgiveness. He made a mistake, and for everybody to be — I’ve heard him. I said, ‘Hold your head up high. You’ve made a mistake. Everybody makes a mistake.’”
Mickelson was quoted in an upcoming biography by veteran golf writer Alan Shipnuck about working with the Saudis.
“They’re scary (expletives) to get involved with,” Mickelson said. “We know they killed (Washington Post
reporter Jamal) Khashoggi and have a horrible record on human rights. They execute people over there for being gay. Knowing all of this, why would I even consider it? Because this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reshape how the PGA Tour operates.”
Right after the comments were made public, Mickelson told Augusta National Golf Club chairman Fred Ridley that he would not be participating in this year’s Masters.
“I would like to say we did not disinvite Phil,” Ridley said Wednesday. “Phil is a three-time Masters champion and is invited in that category and many other categories. He’s the defending PGA Champion.
“Phil reached out to me — I think it was in late February, early March — and let me know that he did not intend to play. That was by way of a text, and I thanked him for his courtesy in letting me know. I told him that we certainly appreciated that and told him that I was certainly willing to discuss that further with him if he’d like. He thanked me, and we had a very cordial exchange.”
In addition to not competing in the tournament, Mickelson also did not attend Tuesday’s annual champions dinner.
“He should go on with his life,” Player said. “It’s amazing. From the epitome of perfection, he’s down there being crucified. It’s not right. That’s my opinion. He said terrible things, but we all make mistakes.”