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Mickelson stepped away from golf amid controversy after his comments about the Saudi League. Although he had issued a public apology later, the damage was done. He also lost many of his sponsors, including Workday and KPMG. Mickelson’s relationship with the Masters began in 1991 when he was just an amateur but it took him more than a decade to conquer this coveted title.
He won his first Masters in 2004. It was the first time he ever won a major in his career. The legendary golfer won the Masters two more times – once in 2006 and once in 2010. With his win in 2010, he became the 8th player to win the Masters at least three times.
Mickelson made 30 appearances at the Masters championship and made the cut 26 times. He has also recorded the top 10 finishes 15 times and the top 5 11 times. Although Mickelson is eligible for an invitation to the masters as a previous champion, he will not be playing.
Neither PGA Tour nor Mickelson has made any statements regarding this, but the golf world believes that it has to do with his controversial connection to the Saudi League. 5 things that have changed since Mickelson’s first Masters in 1994: Jack Nicklaus is no longer competing.
Tiger Woods has turned pro. Woods turned pro in 1996, which is two years after Phil missed his Masters. Collin Morikawa was born (in 1997)! The 25-year-old has since won two major championships. Arnold Palmer passed away (in 2916).
At the time he was still competing on the PGA Tour and PGA Tour Champions. He was even regularly participating at Bay Hill in the Arnold Palmer Invitational. The purse for the Masters has increased from $2 million to a whopping $11,5 million, with the winner’s share at around $2 million.
Regardless of who is or isn’t in the field when the first round begins on Thursday, April 7th, be prepared for four days of drama, heartbreak, and celebration at the historic Augusta National.