Phil Mickelson has been removed from his longtime San Diego golf club following allegations of inappropriate contact with a female employee, Golf Digest reported Thursday.
According to multiple sources cited by Golf Digest, Mickelson is no longer a member at The Farms Golf Club in Rancho Santa Fe, California, where the six-time major champion had played and practiced for decades. The alleged incident is said to have taken place earlier this spring.
Golf Digest reported that Phil 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 officials investigated and then confronted Mickelson on the course, after which he left the property without completing his round.
The Farms confirmed the incident in a statement, saying it conducted a thorough independent investigation and took decisive action, though the club did not name Mickelson directly.
“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,” the statement read. “This individual is no longer a member of The Farms Golf Club.”
Mickelson’s Team Responds
A spokesperson for Phil Mickelson pushed back on the report. “Any misunderstanding has been cleared up,” the statement read. “Phil continues to attend to a family health matter and is uncertain when he will be able to return to professional golf.”
Defamation attorney Tom Clare, who said he is representing Mickelson, struck a stronger tone, claiming the allegations could be contradicted by video evidence. However, Golf Digest cited The Farms in stating there are no cameras in the area where the incident allegedly took place, and no video has been produced by either side.
The San Diego County Sheriff’s Office said it investigated but found no evidence an assault occurred, adding it would investigate further if additional evidence was provided.
A Difficult Period for Phil Mickelson
The 55-year-old has played just one tournament this year after announcing an extended break to deal with a private family health matter. He missed both the Masters and the PGA Championship and is no longer exempt for the US Open.
Mickelson became the oldest major champion in golf history when he won the 2021 PGA Championship and was a central figure in the launch of Saudi-funded LIV Golf the following year. He lost major sponsorships in early 2022 after comments about the Saudi backers were made public.
