BROOKLINE, Mass. (AP) — Phil Mickelson stuck to his script and showed restraint when put in tough spots at the U.S. Open, a big change for him. Except on Monday, he was using words instead of his golf clubs.
Still to come is the major reputed to be the toughest test in golf, the only one keeping him from joining golf’s most elite group with the career Grand Slam. And this one figures to be far different from any other Mickelson has faced.
The six-time major champion is competing on American soil for the first time in more than four months, now the face of a Saudi-funded league that aims to disrupt the PGA Tour.
At risk is his popularity build up over 30 years for his wins and losses, equally memorable.
“In regards to if fans would leave or whatnot, I respect and I understand their opinions, and I understand that they have strong feelings and strong emotions regarding this choice,” Mickelson said. “And I respect that.”
He added nothing from his comments last week outside London, where Mickelson, Dustin Johnson and 15 others defied PGA Tour regulations by competing in Greg Norman’s new LIV Golf series that paid Lefty a reported $200 million just for signing up.
Mickelson said while tour players have been suspended — some of them resigned before the opening tee shot last week — he hasn’t ruled out playing the PGA Tour again. He said Monday that should be his decision.
“I’ve worked hard to earn a lifetime membership,” said Mickelson, whose six majors are part of his 45 career tour victories. “I’ve worked hard to give back to the PGA Tour and the game of golf throughout my 30-plus years of professional golf, and I’ve earned that lifetime membership, so I believe that it should be my choice.”
He was dressed in a black shirt with his personal logo — an image of him leaping on the 18th green at Augusta National with his arms in the air from winning the 2004 Masters for his first major. He still has that scruffy beard, no hat, and he took questions for 25 minutes.
But he was halting in speech at times, often looking down at his feet before answering, the words not flowing as easily as they usually do. He became irritated when he felt reporters were asking more than one question.
One was about the meaning of legacy and if his would change now that he was being funded by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund.
“I don’t like it when you keep asking multiple questions,” he replied.
As for his legacy, he said he appreciated what the PGA Tour has done for him and “I’m excited about the opportunity that LIV Golf presents for me.”
“I think that there is an obvious incredible financial commitment,” he said.
Otherwise, he took a straight path.
For the legion of fans who are angry at him for taking Saudi Arabian money to play in a rival golf league, he understands emotions run high and he respects their opinions.
For the families of those who died in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks — all but four of the 19 hijackers were Saudi citizens — he expressed deepest empathy even as a victims’ group demands Mickelson and others leave the Saudi-funded LIV Golf series.
Anything related to his future on the PGA Tour he felt would be speculation. Any changes to U.S. Open criteria was not for him to say publicly.
Mickelson earned a five-year exemption from winning the PGA Championship last year at age 50, becoming the oldest player to win a major.
PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan spoke publicly Sunday for the first time since players defected to LIV Golf. Among his arguments regarding the source of the funding, Monahan said: “I would ask any player that has left, or any player that would ever consider leaving, ‘Have you ever had to apologize for being a member of the PGA Tour?’”
Mickelson said he has not spoken to Monahan since October.
Asked if he felt he needed to apologize for being part of the Saudi-backed circuit, Mickelson declined to take the bait.
“There’s a lot of things throughout the years that the PGA Tour has done that I agree with, and there’s a lot of things that I don’t agree with, and yet I’ve supported them either way,” he said.
Other opinions he had about the tour or any other governing body he said he would keep private “because it was one of the biggest mistakes I’ve made is voicing all of these little things.”
That’s what started all this.
Mickelson was quoted by Golf Digest in February as referring to the “obnoxious greed” of the PGA Tour while he was in Saudi Arabia getting a seven-figure appearance fee.
Then, golf writer Alan Shipnuck published an excerpt of his biography on Mickelson that quoted him as calling the Saudis behind the new league “scary mother-(expletives)” and saying he was willing to get involved so he could get leverage to make changes on the PGA Tour.
Meanwhile, a championship that dates to 1895 begins Thursday at The Country Club, steeped in heritage as one of the five founding clubs of the USGA.
The Saudi talk has been so prevalent the U.S. Open has become an afterthought.
“You can’t go anywhere without somebody bringing it up,” Justin Thomas said. “This is the U.S. Open, and this is an unbelievable venue, a place with so much history, an unbelievable field, so many storylines, and yet that seems to be what all the questions are about.
“That’s not right for the U.S. Open. That’s not right for us players,” he said. “But that’s, unfortunately, where we’re at right now.”
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The French league’s legal commission has ordered Paris Saint-Germain to pay Kylian Mbappé the 55 million euros ($61 million) in unpaid wages that he claims he’s entitled to, the league said Thursday.
The league confirmed the decision to The Associated Press without more details, a day after the France superstar rejected a mediation offer by the commission in his dispute with his former club.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Former football star Reggie Bush was at his Encino home Tuesday night when three male suspects attempted to break in, the Los Angeles Times reported Wednesday.
“Everyone is safe,” Bush said in a text message to the newspaper.
The Los Angeles Police Dept. told the Times that a resident of the house reported hearing a window break and broken glass was found outside. Police said nothing was stolen and that three male suspects dressed in black were seen leaving the scene.
Bush starred at Southern California and in the NFL. The former running back was reinstated as the 2005 Heisman Trophy winner this year. He forfeited it in 2010 after USC was hit with sanctions partly related to Bush’s dealings with two aspiring sports marketers.
VANCOUVER – A fresh face has been gracing the B.C. Lions‘ highlight reels in recent weeks.
Midway through his second CFL campaign, wide receiver Ayden Eberhardt has contributed touchdowns in two consecutive games.
The 26-year-old wide receiver from Loveland, Colo., was the lone B.C. player to reel in a passing major in his team’s 37-23 victory over the league-leading Montreal Alouettes last Friday. The week before, he notched his first CFL touchdown in the Lions’ win over the Ottawa Redblacks.
“It’s been awesome. It’s been really good,” Eberhardt said of his recent play. “At the end of the day, the biggest stat to me is if we win. But who doesn’t love scoring?”
He’ll look to add to the tally Friday when the Leos (7-6) host the Toronto Argonauts.
Eberhardt signed with B.C. as a free agent in January 2023 and spent much of last season on the practice squad before cementing a role on the roster this year.
The six-foot-two, 195-pound University of Wyoming product has earned more opportunities in his second season, said Lions’ head coach and co-general manager Rick Campbell.
“He’s a super hard worker and very smart. He understands, has high football IQ, as we call it,” Campbell said.
The fact that Eberhardt can play virtually every receiving position helps.
“He could literally go into a game and we could throw him into a spot and he’d know exactly what he’s doing,” the coach said. “That allows him to play fast and earn the quarterback’s trust. And you see him making plays.”
Eberhardt credited his teammates, coaches and the rest of the Lions’ staff with helping him prepare for any situation he might face. They’ve all spent time teaching him the ins and outs of the Canadian game, or go over the playbook and run routes after practice, he said.
“I’ve played every single position on our offence in a game in the last two years, which is kind of crazy. But I love playing football,” he said. “I want to play any position that the team needs me to play.”
While B.C.’s lineup is studded with stars like running back William Stanback — who has a CFL-high 938 rushing yards — and wide receiver Justin McInnis — who leads the league in both receiving yards (1,074) and receiving TDs (seven) — versatility has been a critical part of the team’s back-to-back wins.
“I think we’ve got a lot of talented guys who deserve to get the ball and make big plays when they have the ball in their hands. So it’s really my job to get them the ball as much as possible,” said quarterback Nathan Rourke.
“I think that makes it easy when you can lean on those guys and, really, we’re in a situation where anyone can have a big game. And I think that’s a good place to be.”
Even with a talented lineup, the Lions face a tough test against an eager Argos side.
Toronto lost its second straight game Saturday when it dropped a 41-27 decision to Ottawa.
“We’ll have our hands full,” Rourke said. “We’ll have to adjust on the fly to whatever their game plan is. And no doubt, they’ll be ready to go so we’ll have to be as well.”
The two sides have already met once this season when the Argos handed the Lions a 35-27 loss in Toronto back on June 9.
A win on Friday would vault B.C. to the top of the West Division standings, over the 7-6 Winnipeg Blue Bombers who are on a bye week.
Collecting that victory isn’t assured, though, even with Toronto coming in on a two-game skid, Campbell said.
“They’ve hit a little bit of a rut, but they’re a really good team,” he said. “They’re very athletic. And you can really see (quarterback Chad Kelly’s) got zip on the ball. When you see him in there, he can make all the throws. So we’re expecting their best shot.”
TORONTO ARGONAUTS (6-6) AT B.C. LIONS (7-6)
Friday, B.C. Place
HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE: The Lions boast a 4-1 home record this season, including a 38-12 victory over the Redblacks at Royal Athletic Park in Victoria, B.C., on Aug. 31. The Argos have struggled outside of BMO Field and hold a 1-5 away record. Trips to the West Coast haven’t been easy for Toronto in recent years — since 2003, the club is 4-14 in road games against B.C.
CENTURION: B.C. defensive back Garry Peters is set to appear in his 100th consecutive game. The 32-year-old from Conyers, Ga., is a two-time CFL all-star who has amassed 381 defensive tackles, 19 special teams tackles and 16 interceptions over seven seasons. “Just being on the field with the guys every day, running around, talking trash back and forth, it keeps me young,” Peters said. “It makes me feel good, and my body doesn’t really feel it. I’ve been blessed to be able to play 100 straight.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.
