Photo: Cliff Hawkins/Getty
PGA ChampionPhil Mickelsonwill not be defending his title at next week’s tournament.
Mickelson, 51, is not participating in the PGA Championship tournament scheduled for next week in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The tournament’s official Twitter account shared the announcement in a statement on Friday.
“We have just been informed that Phil Mickelson has withdrawn from the PGA Championship,” the statement reads. “Phil is the defending champion and currently eligible to be a PGA Life Member and we would have welcomed him to participate. We wish Phil and [wife] Amy the very best and look forward to his return to golf.”
The athlete, who became golf’soldest major championafter winning the PGA at Kiawah Island in South Carolina last year at age 50, told Shipnuck that he would overlook the alleged human rights violations of the Saudi Arabian government as a political move to further push his career.
“They’re scary motherf—ers to get involved with,” Mickelson said in a conversation with Shipnuck last November, according toESPN. “They killed [Washington Post reporter and U.S. resident Jamal] Khashoggi and have a horrible record on human rights. They execute people over there for being gay. Knowing all of this, why would I even consider it? Because this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reshape how the PGA Tour operates.”
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“It was reckless, I offended people, and I am deeply sorry for my choice of words. I’m beyond disappointed and will make every effort to self-reflect and learn from this,” he added.
source: people.com
