Phil Mickelson, one of the great icons of world golf and a six-time major winner, is no longer a member of The Farms Golf Club, one of the most exclusive clubs in the San Diego area, after an employee at the venue accused him of having made inappropriate physical contact with her, according to Golf Digest in the United States
According to that publication, citing multiple sources with direct knowledge of the case, the incident occurred earlier this spring, before the start of a round of golf. According to those reports, Mickelson approached a club employee in the clubhouse area and made physical contact that was “inappropriate and non-consensual”. The employee rejected his advances and immediately reported what had happened to her superiors
Also according to the cited outlet, those responsible at The Farms acted quickly after receiving the complaint. The club opened an internal investigation to clarify the facts and located the golfer while he was still playing his round. Mickelson was reportedly informed of the allegations during the round and was ordered to leave the premises before completing it
Golf Digest says it has identified the employee, whose identity it has chosen to protect to safeguard her privacy. The employee declined to take part in the reporting
Mickelson, 55, and away from competition since February because of a family health matter, did not wish to comment directly on the allegations. However, a spokesperson for the player conveyed the following statement to Golf Digest: “Any misunderstanding has been cleared up. Phil continues to attend to a family health issue and does not know when he will be able to return to professional golf”
After being contacted by Golf Digest, The Farms Golf Club also issued an official statement confirming that the individual named in the complaint is no longer associated with the organisation: “The Farms Golf Club is committed to maintaining a safe, respectful environment that reflects the highest standards of conduct. All members are required to comply with our code of conduct and any allegation of inappropriate behaviour is taken very seriously”
The organisation added that it provided “immediate and ongoing support” to the affected employee, carried out “an independent and thorough investigation” and took “decisive action”. “This person is no longer a member of The Farms Golf Club,” the statement concludes, emphasising that all actions were carried out in accordance with the laws of the state of California and declining to provide further details to protect the privacy and safety of staff and members
Various club sources consulted by Golf Digest identified Mickelson as the person named in the complaint, in an episode that adds a new controversial chapter to the career of one of the most influential figures in sport in recent years in the United States, one of the figures who decided to leave the PGA Tour to join LIV Golf, but who has now been out of competition for several months
