A lawyer for Phil Mickelson says the six-time major winner resigned from a country club near San Diego where he was accused of inappropriate contact with a female employee.
Golf Digest last week reported that Mickelson was no longer a member of The Farms Country Club and that the golfer was asked by club management to leave the course during his round after the employee reported the allegations of misconduct. Tom Clare, a defamation lawyer hired by Mickelson, said that the golfer later resigned from the club.
The Golf Digest story broke at a low point for Mickelson. He withdrew from the Masters and PGA Championship this year, citing a personal health matter with his family that kept him out of all but one of the nine LIV Golf events this year. The one major golf tournament that has eluded him — the U.S. Open, where he has been runner-up a record six times — is happening this weekend, and he is no longer eligible to compete after running out of exemptions.
Golf Digest cited sources in reporting Mickelson approached the woman in the clubhouse and made nonconsensual and inappropriate physical contact with her. The woman rejected his advances and reported it to her supervisors.
Club management investigated and confronted Mickelson on the course. Mickelson, 55, was told to leave the premises.
“Following a staff member 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," The Farms said in a statement to Golf Digest.
“To protect the safety and privacy of our staff and member, we are unable to speak further on the matter.”
A spokesperson for the golfer issued a statement in response to the Golf Digest reporting that said: “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.”
Mickelson became the oldest major champion in golf history when he won the 2021 PGA Championship. A year later, he was a central figure in helping to launch Saudi-funded LIV Golf. He lost major sponsorships when he was quoted in early 2022 as calling the Saudis “scary mother (expletives)” and that he was only thinking of joining the league to gain leverage over the PGA Tour.
The Farms, located about 10 miles from Torrey Pines, is a private club where several top players are members, such as Annika Sorenstam and Xander Schauffele.
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