Phil Mickelson stepped away from professional golf earlier this year. He cited a private family health issue that needs his time.
Mickelson and his wife, Amy, needed time away. He missed the Masters tournament in April. The 55-year-old told reporters he would be “out for an extended period of time.”
The six-time major winner withdrew from the 2026 PGA Championship field as well. He will also not play the upcoming U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills. His five-year exemption for winning the 2021 PGA Championship expired. The USGA denied him a special invitation.
He tied for 48th at LIV Golf South Africa recently. That remains his only competitive start this year.
Amid all this uncertainty and secrecy, a separate scandal now threatens to tarnish his entire golf legacy.
A female club employee accused him of inappropriate contact, per Golf Digest.
Phil Mickelson Faces Major Accusations
GettyPhil Mickelson of Hyflyers GC plays his shot from the fifth tee during day two of LIV Golf South Africa.
This happened earlier this spring at The Farms Golf Club. The prestigious club sits near his Rancho Santa Fe home. He practiced there for decades before major championships.
He often played money games with fellow pros there, but unfortunately, he is no longer a member of the club.
Mickelson allegedly approached a female employee near the clubhouse. He initiated nonconsensual physical contact with her.
She rejected his inappropriate advances immediately. He then walked back to the golf course. The employee reported his actions to her supervisors. Club officials initiated a swift internal review. They located Mickelson playing in the middle of his round.
Management confronted him with the accusation directly. They demanded he leave the property immediately. He vacated the premises without finishing his golf round.
Club Takes Definitive Action
GettyPhil Mickelson of Hyflyers GC looks on from the third green on day one of LIV Golf Indianapolis.
Private clubs rarely eject high-profile members without ironclad proof. This indicates the severity of the internal findings.
Club officials removed Mickelson from their membership roster permanently. They also removed his curated display from the clubhouse.
The Farms Golf Club issued a definitive statement to Golf Digest regarding the matter.
“The Farms Golf Club is committed to maintaining a golf club environment that is safe, respectful and reflects the highest standards of conduct. Any allegations of misconduct are taken seriously,” they said.
“Following a staff member’s report of member misconduct, the Club provided immediate and ongoing support to the staff member, conducted a thorough independent investigation of the incident and took decisive action. This individual is no longer a member of The Farms Golf Club.”
Phil Mickelson’s Lawyer Quashes Allegations as False
GettyPhil Mickelson of HyFlyers GC stands on the 14th hole on day one of LIV Golf Chicago.
Mickelson declined invitations to comment on the story directly. His spokesperson released a brief statement instead.
“Any misunderstanding has been cleared up. Phil continues to attend to a family health matter and is uncertain when he will be able to return to professional golf.”
His team later hired top defamation attorney Tom Clare. Clare contacted investigators on June 7. He claimed the reporting was “squarely contradicted by objective, video evidence.”
Investigators discovered that no security cameras exist in that specific area. The club confirmed that no footage captures the two parties interacting. Mickelson’s legal team failed to provide any contradictory video evidence.
Clare issued a follow-up threat on June 10.
“There is a great deal of misinformation circulating and, while Phil’s full attention is devoted to a private family health matter, he has retained defamation counsel and is determined to hold accountable any publication or individual trafficking in speculation or false rumors.”
It remains to be seen how Mickelson’s camp finally deals with these allegations.
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