Phil Mickelson explains absence from past Open champions' event at St Andrews

Phil Mickelson told a journalist to ‘let it go’ in frustration at being asked LIV Golf-related questions after his opening round at the Open.

Mickelson’s absence from past champions’ events at St Andrews was one of the main talking points in the build-up to the 150th edition of the championship this week.

The 2013 winner insisted he was invited to the celebratory dinner and four-hole exhibition tournament but, having become one of the faces of the controversial

Saudi-backed rival LIV series, declined to avoid becoming a distraction.
This differs from the stance taken with LIV figurehead Greg Norman, the Open champion in 1986 and 1993, with organisers the R&A making abundantly clear the Australian had not been invited.

‘The R&A contacted me a couple weeks before and said, ‘Look, we don’t think it’s a great idea you go, but if you want to, you can’,’ Mickelson told reporters after beginning his latest Open challenge with a level-par 72.

‘I just didn’t want to make a big deal about it, so I said, ‘fine’. We both kind of agreed that it would be best if I didn’t.’

Asked if he was sad to be in such a position, the 52-year-old said: ‘No, no. Not at all. I think that I couldn’t be more excited and ecstatic with where I’m at.

‘I love the events. I get to have golf in my life and competitive golf in my life on a scale that is fun, exciting, different, and lets me play and compete but still do the things outside that I want to do.’

Pushed further on missing the dinner, which was attended by the likes of Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, Sir Nick Faldo and Tiger Woods, Mickelson snapped: ‘Let it go, dude. Let it go. That’s three times you’ve asked the same question.

‘I don’t know what to tell you. I couldn’t be happier.’

Mickelson insisted he had no regrets about signing up for the big-money LIV circuit, which has sparked a huge row in the game and led to him being banned from the PGA Tour.

The American said: ‘I made the right decision for me and I’m excited about having the opportunity to play competitive golf and have it in my life in a more moderate scale to where I can do some things outside of that too. I freed up a lot of other time as well.

‘I couldn’t be happier. I think it’s been really good. I can’t wait to get to New Jersey and play another event there.’

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