Phil Mickelson faces awkward reunion after blast at US Open chief

Phil Mickelson faces an ungainly reunion with US Open chief Mike Whan – a couple of weeks after accusing him of a “d*** move” on social media. Mickelson leapt to the defence of fellow LIV Golf star Talor Gooch after a choice which meant he missed out on the prospect to qualify for the third main event of the yr. 

52-year-old Mickelson is considered one of golf’s most profitable gamers with 45 PGA Tour wins to his title earlier than becoming a member of LIV and can look so as to add one other on the upcoming US Open. However, he will not be joined by one other competitor from the controversial Saudi-backed league.

In what Mickelson has referred to as a “d*** move”, American golfer Talor Gooch missed out on the prospect to play on the prestigious event on the Los Angeles Country Club. Gooch was anticipating to compete after being eligible to play eventually season’s Tour Championship. 

Thanks to this eligibility he would even have been capable of safe a spot eventually month’s Masters, however new guidelines meant he missed out on the US Open. And Mickelson took to social media to criticise the ruling. 

The guidelines created by the United States Golf Association (USGA) said that ‘these gamers qualifying for the season-ending Tour Championship’ earned a spot. However, it was later rewritten to learn ‘these gamers who certified and have been eligible for the season-ending 2022 Tour Championship’.

Gooch was subsequently dominated out of competing attributable to him being being ineligible for the PGA Tour’s season-ending occasion. That got here after the American was banned by commissioner Jay Monahan attributable to his allegiances with LIV Golf prior the controversial merger between the 2 organisations. 

In response to the news, Mickelson was fast to handle USGA CEO Mike Whan through Twitter. He mentioned: “Hey Mike,what about changing a rule and making it retroactive to exclude someone who has already qualified? How can Talor Gooch not take that personal? It’s a direct attack on him and his career. How does it benefit the usga or US open? It doesn’t. Just a d*** move.”

The news undoutedbly got here as a dissapointment to Gooch, who has just lately been in good kind. Speaking to the 73rd Hole Podcast, he mentioned: “That was obviously disappointing because that changed rule only affected one person, which was me.”

Gooch just lately gained back-to-back occasions in Adelaide and Singapore for the LIV tour and would have relished persevering with his sizzling streak on considered one of golf’s greatest levels.

Amid the controversy, USGA boss Mike Whan responded to the altering of the principles. He mentioned: “Any time we make changes to our criteria going forward it impacts somebody and that stinks, but we can only look forward.”

Mickelson and Whan will undoubtedly be reunited at some stage this week because the USGA hosts the US Open – and there could possibly be some awkwardness after their current public spat.