Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley denied rumors Wednesday that top golfer Phil Mickelson was disinvited from this year’s Masters tournament.
Many have speculated that the 51-year-old, three-time Masters winner was blocked from playing this year because of his critical comments about the PGA and his efforts to support a new, competing pro-golf league backed by Saudi Arabia.
Mickelson has played in every Masters tournament since 1994, and this will be the first time he’s missed a game in decades.
But Augusta chief Ridley insists that the Masters did not block him from playing this year.
“Well, first, I would like to say we did not disinvite Phil,” Ridley said, according to the New York Post. “Phil is a three-time Masters Champion and is invited in that category and many other categories; he’s the defending PGA Champion.”
Ridley explained that the decision not to play was all Mickelson’s.
“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, you know, told him that I was certainly willing to discuss that further with him if he’d like, and he thanked me, and we had a very cordial exchange,” Ridley said, adding that the golfer’s decision was unexpected.
“I think in Phil’s case … he made a personal decision, and I don’t really have … I don’t know anything beyond that,” Ridley insisted. “I know that Phil has been a real fixture here at the Masters for many, many years. He’s been a big part of our history. I certainly and we certainly wish him the best sort of working through the issues he’s dealing with right now.”
Augusta National Chairman Fred Ridley (David Cannon/Getty Images)
Mickelson was listed as a “Past Champion Not Playing” on the Masters website as of March 21.
The PGA champ has been embroiled in controversy since February when he criticized the PGA and made complimentary comments about the formation of a rival league.
In February, Mickelson admitted that Saudi Arabia has a terrible record on human rights but insisted that a competing league would be worth helping out, “Because this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reshape how the PGA Tour operates.”
He also accused the PGA of being a “dictatorship” and not a democracy.
Mickelson later apologized for his comments, saying, “Although it doesn’t look this way now given my recent comments, my actions throughout this process have always been with the best interest of golf, my peers, sponsors, and fans.”
He added that “the bigger issue is that I used words that I sincerely regret that do not reflect my true feelings or intentions.”
A Statement from Phil Mickelson pic.twitter.com/2saaXIxhpu
— Phil Mickelson (@PhilMickelson) February 22, 2022
However, Mickelson did not back down from his stance that the PGA needs reform.
Regardless, his comments did cost him, several sponsors. Almost immediately, accounting giant KPMG and Amstel Light beer cut ties with the golfer. And Callaway Golf also announced it was “pausing” its relationship with Mickelson.
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