Phil Mickelson could have played in the Masters Tournament had he chosen too after Tournament Chairman Fred Ridley revealed he was not stopped from playing at Augusta National following his controversial comments surrounding a breakaway league.
The three-time Master champion decided to take a break from the game after apologising for comments regarding a proposed breakaway league, where he accused the PGA Tour of being “manipulative and coercive” before ironically going on to admit he was using the threat of a breakaway to “reshape” how the Tour operates, and also revealing he’d recruited three other players to the league and that he and other players paid attorneys to construct the proposed league’s operating agreement.
On the eve of the Masters, Ridley insisted Mickelson’s absence was the player’s decision to not compete after rumours circulated that he had been told to stay away from the first Major of the season.
“We did not disinvite Phil,” said Ridley. “He is a three-time Masters champion and is invited in that category and many others. He is the defending PGA Champion.
“Phil reached out to me, I think in late February or early March, and let me know he did not intend to play. That was by way of a text.
“I thanked him for his courtesy and told him we certainly appreciated that and that I was willing to discuss that further with him if he liked. He thanked me and we had a very cordial exchange.
“He made a personal decision and I don’t know anything beyond that. Phil has been a real fixture here for many, many years and a big part of our history and we certainly wish him the best in working through the issues he has now.”
