Picture Credit: PGA Tour
In one of the most shocking development, 51-year-old Phil Mickelson has reportedly decided not to play this year's Masters at Augusta as he has been on a break from golf. Phil received a lot of flak from the golf community and others for stating that the Saudis were promoting the PGA Tour, Saudi Arabia and the new international golf league. The six-time major winner has played The Masters every year since 1994, but his name was included on the past winners' absentee list released last week.
A report from Golfweek claims Augusta National officials suggested Pill it would be better if he did not compete in the event. Hence, it was not the golfer's decision to not participate in the significant event. He has also made allegations on the PGA tour of acting like a "dictatorship" and confessed he was using a breakaway threat to reshape how the tour operates. The veteran has not played since the Saudi International tournament in February, and last year in May, he became golf's oldest major champion when he won the PGA Championship at the age of 50.
The 'Lefty' recently saw a number of his leading sponsors end their relationship with him. This include KPMG – who had been associated with him for 14 years – and Callaway, who revealed they had 'paused' their agreement with the six-time major winner. The absence of Phill will certainly be missed at 2022 Master's as he will not be participating in the competition for the first time in 28-years. Mickelson has played one handful of evens this season has remained quiet since the PGA controversy. However, he has extended his apology but still hasn't revealed when he will make his return. The Saudi-backed league is a venture attempting to attract golfers away from the sport's main tours, mainly the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour with big-money offers. The Masters will kick start on April 7, with Hideki Matsuyama as defending champion.