The head of the Georgia club that stages the Masters said Phil Mickelson told him several weeks ago that the three-time champion would not be participating this year.
Augusta National Chairman Fred Ridley was asked during a Wednesday news conference whether the Masters had “disinvited” Mickelson, who caused a furor in February with comments in which he disparaged the PGA Tour and the Saudi Arabian backers of a nascent golf circuit he was helping to get off the ground. In the wake of major blowback from fans and fellow professionals, Mickelson lost several sponsors and issued a statement of regret, saying he “desperately” needed to step away from the game.
