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Phil Mickelson is no longer welcome at the club he calls his home. The Farms Golf Club in Rancho Santa Fe, California, has booted him and revoked his membership after serious allegations were brought against the Lefty by a female employee.

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Golf Digest first reported on Thursday that earlier this spring, the six-time major winner allegedly made inappropriate and non-consensual contact with the female employee in the clubhouse. She reported the incident to her supervisors while Mickelson went on to play golf. The officials investigated the matter immediately and confronted Mickelson, who was in the middle of his round.

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It was not immediately clear if Phil Mickelson tried to defend himself or deny the accusations. Golf Digest cited multiple sources saying that he was asked to leave the course, which he did without completing 18 holes. Later, The Farms confirmed that Phil Mickelson is no longer a member of the club. Per Golf Digest, the club has removed a display featuring Phil Mickelson’s accomplishments. As of publishing, Mickelson hasn’t commented on the matter; however, his representative has released a statement.

Tom Clare, a defamation attorney representing the Lefty, denied the allegations, claiming those were “contradicted” by video and objective evidence. However, a spokesperson for The Farms confirmed to Golf Digest that there was no video evidence of the incident, as there were no cameras in that area. Golf Digest also reported that while they contacted the female employee, she didn’t want to take part in the reporting. Amid all this, the San Diego County Sheriff has also released a statement.

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According to Golf Channel, the statement read, “At this time, we have not located any evidence to show an assault has occurred. The Sheriff’s Office would absolutely investigate further if provided additional evidence or information. We encourage anyone with information regarding an incident such as this to reach out to the Sheriff’s Office.”

The development is concerning because of the Lefty’s historic ties with the club. He has previously stated, “When I’m preparing for a major tournament (like the U.S. Open) and really want to test my driver, I come to The Farms.”

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In 2021, after making history by becoming the oldest major winner at the PGA Championship, Mickelson revealed that he had played money matches with Xander Schauffele at The Farms. Although he lost three straight rounds, it helped him prepare for the major. Two years later, a Monday Q Info report also detailed a money match between Phil Mickelson, former pro golfer Mark Baldwin, and their close associates in the same club.

Phil Mickelson has faced serious troubles before, including insider trading in 2016. He had to pay a fine of $100,000 and return his profits to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission at that time. However, he has never faced any allegations of misconduct.

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What makes this case even more shocking is Mickelson’s sister and PGA professional, Tina, wrote a column on gender bias in the golf industry in 2019. The Lefty urged everyone to read it at that time.

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In an article on the Southern California Golf Association’s website, Tina detailed her experience of facing uncomfortable “smirks and snide remarks” while working as a club pro. She wrote that one comment was so shocking that it made her question whether she heard it correctly.

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Phil Mickelson retweeted the piece, writing, “This is a great article my sister wrote that you may find interesting. I love my sis and I’m so proud of her.”

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Seven years later, Mickelson himself is facing an allegation of inappropriate conduct. It comes amid his prolonged absence from the green due to a family health matter. The six-time major champion so far has played only one tournament this season, finishing T48 in LIV Golf South Africa. There were hopes, however, of seeing him at Royal Birkdale next month.

Bob Harig reported that Phil Mickelson has submitted his entry to be eligible for the 2026 Open Championship next month. That, in turn, fueled speculation of him competing at the LIV London event at the end of July. However, right now, the new development throws everything into more uncertainty.

Notably, in May 2023, Tiger Woods’s ex-girlfriend, Erica Herman, accused the 18-time major winner of harassment. Woods denied the charges, and in November of the same year, Herman dropped the lawsuit.

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It remains to be seen how the recent development surrounding Phil Mickelson unfolds.

Note: EssentiallySports wasn’t able to independently verify the claims.

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Written by

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Parnab Bhattacharya

1,587 Articles

Parnab Bhattacharya is a Newsletter Editor at EssentiallySports in the Golf Division. With four years of writing experience, he is now exploring his deep-rooted love for the gentleman's sport. Parnab's area of expertise is his predictive and perspective pieces, where he explores all things golf, diving deep into the whys and whats behind players' and Tours' moves in the sport, and unflinchingly voicing his take. His love for sports extends beyond the golf course. As a Madridista at heart, he swears by Saint Iker's reflexes and CR7's predatory instinct, when not lost in the pages of a Dostoevsky novel or exploring global cinemas.

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