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Many golf fans believe his controversial comments about the Saudi League led to Phil Mickelson missing the Masters this weekend at Augusta National. It is now clear that Augusta is not responsible for the absence of Phil Mickelson at the 2022 Masters Tournament.
“First, I would like to say we did not dis-invite Phil,” Fred Ridley, Augusta National Chairman, explained in a recent press conference. “Phil is a three-time Masters champion and invited, you know, in that category and many other categories,” Chairman Ridley added.
“He’s a defending PGA Champion”. It was the first time he addressed Mickelson’s absence at the Masters Tournament. Fred told the media that Mickelson reached out to him via text message recently and told him he would not be playing at Augusta this year.
“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,” he stated.
“In Phil’s case, he made a personal decision,” Ridley said. “I don’t know anything beyond that. I know that Phil has been a real figure here at the Masters for many, many years. He’s been a big part of our history.
We certainly wish him the best sort of working through the issues he’s working with right now”. Mickelson was therefore not suspended. He opted not to play. Missing the Masters for the first time in 28 years The first time Phil Mickelson competed in the Masters Tournament was in 1991.
He hasn't missed the event since 1994 and this year would have been his 30th appearance at Augusta. Mickelson has won the Masters three times in his 29 years of competing at the event. 2004 was his first-ever major championship victory.
He won the U.S open later that year. Mickelson received his last Green Jacket in 2010 after defeating Englishman Lee Westwood with a three-shot lead. He then became the eighth player ever to win at least three Masters titles. Mickelson tweeted a statement on Feb. 22 saying he was taking some time away from the game.