Phil Mickelson claims missing Champions' Dinner for 150th Open wasn't purely his call
It had been reported earlier in the week that the 2013 winner skipped Tuesday night’s gathering of champions in the R&A Clubhouse on his own volition.
The assumption was that Mickelson, who is now part of the LIV Golf circuit after making controversial comments about the PGA Tour earlier in the year, had decided it was best for him not to attend.
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Hide AdBut, after carding a level-par 72 in the first round of the season’s final major at St Andrews, the 52-year-old offered a different version of why he’d been an absentee at the dinner.
“The R&A contacted me a couple weeks before and said, ‘look, we don't think it's a great idea you go, but if you want to, you can’,” said the six-time major winner.
“I just didn't want to make a big deal about it, so I said ‘fine’. We both kind of agreed that it would be best if I didn't.”
Two-time Open winner Greg Norman, the LIV Golf CEO and commissioner, wasn’t invited to either the dinner or Monday’s Celebration of Champions.
The former world No 1’s breakaway circuit was then handed a withering verdict by R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers in a press conference on the eve of The Open’s milestone edition.
Asked if he felt sad about his own situation, Mickelson said: “No, not at all. I love being here. Everybody here loves golf and we find this place to be very spiritual.
“I've had some great moments here. Just the greatness of it kind of shines. I love playing and competing here. It's just a special place.”
As for having committed his future to LIV Golf for a reported $200 million, he added: “I think that I couldn't be more excited and ecstatic with where I'm at.”
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Hide AdIan Poulter, another LIV Golf player, was the target of a couple of boos from spectators on the first tee as he made a promising start with a 69.
On hearing the reception, Sam Torrance, commenting on the world feed for the event, said: “I’ve never heard him booed before - I wonder what he’s done wrong?”
But, after signing his card, Poulter insisted: “Didn't hear one. I actually thought I had a great reception on the 1st tee, to be honest. All I heard was clapping.”
Poulter played in last week’s Genesis Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club through appealing a suspension and fine imposed on LIV Golf players for teeing up in the rebel circuit’s inaugural event last month.
Asked what the reception had been from his fellow players over the past fortnight, the Englishman, who almost went out of bounds at the first but later holed out for an eagle-2 at the ninth, said: “I've heard great comments, great talks with everyone.
“We might have a difference of opinion, but they're my friends. You play golf with these guys for 10, 15 or 20-plus years, you've been part of many teams with them.
“Even if they have a difference of opinion, that's that. We all have opinions, right? We're still friends, whatever the landscape is and wherever you're playing golf.”
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