Phil Mickelson expelled from golf club over unwanted contact claims
Six-time major champion Phil Mickelson has reportedly been expelled from a California golf club following allegations of nonconsensual physical contact with a female employee.
The incident is alleged to have occurred earlier this spring at The Farms Golf Club in Rancho Santa Fe.
According to Golf Digest, the 55-year-old made inappropriate advances towards a staff member inside the clubhouse.
The employee reportedly rejected the approach and immediately escalated the matter to her supervisors.
Club confirms decisive action
Following a swift independent investigation into the claims, officials confronted the American golfer on the course and instructed him to leave.
The Farms released a statement confirming the dismissal of an individual, though they chose not to name the player 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.
This individual is no longer a member of The Farms Golf Club.
Representatives for the veteran golfer have publicly dismissed the severity of the allegations.
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.
Stepping away from the sport
The former world number two has only made one competitive appearance this year while dealing with an undisclosed family issue.
His extended absence means he missed both the Masters and the PGA Championship, while he is no longer exempt for the upcoming US Open.
This latest controversy adds to a turbulent period for the prominent LIV Golf figure.
The left-hander faced intense backlash in 2022 after admitting he used the Saudi-backed breakaway league to gain leverage over the PGA Tour.
He has also endured extensive public scrutiny regarding his personal finances and gambling habits in recent years.
A 2023 autobiography by noted gambler Billy Walters alleged that the Californian had wagered more than $1bn (£790m) on sports over a 30-year period.
