Professional golfer Phil Mickelson, winner of six major championships, has lost his membership at a California golf club following allegations of inappropriate behavior with a staff member, according to a Golf Digest investigation published Thursday.
The incident allegedly occurred this spring at The Farms Golf Club in Rancho Santa Fe, California, where a female employee reported that Mickelson made unwanted physical contact with her in the clubhouse prior to playing a round of golf. The staff member immediately notified her supervisors about the encounter.
Following the complaint, club leadership launched an investigation and approached Mickelson while he was playing golf. Officials instructed him to leave the property immediately, which he did.
The publication chose not to identify the employee to maintain her privacy, and she opted not to participate in their reporting.
When contacted about the allegations, Mickelson refused to provide direct comment. However, a spokesperson released this statement: “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.”
The 55-year-old golfer, who celebrates his 56th birthday Tuesday, took a break from tournament play in February citing family obligations. He returned briefly in mid-March for LIV Golf’s South Africa event, where he finished tied for 48th place. He was notably absent from April’s Masters tournament, despite being a three-time winner of the event.
After Golf Digest shared their findings, The Farms released a statement without specifically naming Mickelson.
“The Farms Golf Club is committed to maintaining a golf club environment that is safe, respectful and reflects the highest standards of conduct,” the statement said. “All members are required to adhere to our Code of Conduct, and any allegations of misconduct are taken seriously. 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.”
The club’s statement continued: “The Farms conducts thorough reviews of all reported matters according to California Law and takes appropriate action when warranted, consistent with our commitment to integrity, excellence and accountability. To protect the safety and privacy of our staff and members, we are unable to speak further on this matter. We appreciate your understanding.”
Tom Clare, a defamation attorney representing Mickelson, released a statement Wednesday: “There is a great deal of misinformation circulating and, while Phil’s full attention is devoted to a private family health matter, he has retained defamation counsel and is determined to hold accountable any publication or individual trafficking in speculation or false rumors.”
