Phil Mickelson causes outrage at Open with LIV golfer snubbed by TV coverage
Phil Mickelson usually has the cameras tracking his every move at major championships, but TV cameras barely showed a single shot of his first round at the Open and fans watching are unimpressed. Mickelson took a self-imposed sabbatical from the PGA Tour earlier this year after controversial comments he made about the Saudi-backed LIV golf series surfaced.
He ended up skipping the Masters and the PGA Championship before making his first major appearance of the year at the US Open. The American golf icon was placed in one of the star groups alongside Shane Lowry and Louis Oosthuizen but failed to qualify for the weekend.
Meanwhile, Mickelson has played in both LIV Golf Invitational events in London and Portland in recent weeks. The controversial event caused a stir among fellow players and the sport's governing bodies.
The PGA Tour and DP World Tour have both issued sanctions against players who join LIV Golf. And the R&A has become the first major to speak out on the dissident circuit, with chief executive Martin Slumbers saying it is "money driven".
JUST IN: Phil Mickelson and Saudi golf rebels are rudely awakened by Open bosses
They also appear to have punished the 23 LIV golfers competing at the Open this week. The likes of Mickelson, Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka would all typically be included in the majors' featured bands and featured on mainline TV coverage.
But Mickelson was grouped with Lucas Herbert and Kurt Kitayama and started just after 7am. Cameras showed his opening shot with "Lefty" which was warmly welcomed by those present at the podium.
But nothing else was shown on Mickelson and that left many frustrated trying to catch a glimpse of the six-time major champion. One Twitter user wrote, "A year ago they were showing @PhilMickelson all morning. That's petty and I hope one of these guys falls."
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Phil Mickelson usually has the cameras tracking his every move at major championships, but TV cameras barely showed a single shot of his first round at the Open and fans watching are unimpressed. Mickelson took a self-imposed sabbatical from the PGA Tour earlier this year after controversial comments he made about the Saudi-backed LIV golf series surfaced.
He ended up skipping the Masters and the PGA Championship before making his first major appearance of the year at the US Open. The American golf icon was placed in one of the star groups alongside Shane Lowry and Louis Oosthuizen but failed to qualify for the weekend.
Meanwhile, Mickelson has played in both LIV Golf Invitational events in London and Portland in recent weeks. The controversial event caused a stir among fellow players and the sport's governing bodies.
The PGA Tour and DP World Tour have both issued sanctions against players who join LIV Golf. And the R&A has become the first major to speak out on the dissident circuit, with chief executive Martin Slumbers saying it is "money driven".
JUST IN: Phil Mickelson and Saudi golf rebels are rudely awakened by Open bosses
They also appear to have punished the 23 LIV golfers competing at the Open this week. The likes of Mickelson, Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka would all typically be included in the majors' featured bands and featured on mainline TV coverage.
But Mickelson was grouped with Lucas Herbert and Kurt Kitayama and started just after 7am. Cameras showed his opening shot with "Lefty" which was warmly welcomed by those present at the podium.
But nothing else was shown on Mickelson and that left many frustrated trying to catch a glimpse of the six-time major champion. One Twitter user wrote, "A year ago they were showing @PhilMickelson all morning. That's petty and I hope one of these guys falls."
NOT TO MISS
Tiger Woods' bitter feud with 'boring' Ian Poulter: 'D***'
Rory McIlroy: Net worth, wife and kids as he targets Open glory
Tiger Woods Open 2022: Golf icon's net worth, girlfriend and kids
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