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Phil Mickelson resigned from an exclusive Southern California country club after allegations of inappropriate conduct involving a female employee, according to his attorney.
The six-time major champion stepped down from membership at The Farms Golf Club near San Diego following an internal investigation into claims that he made unwanted physical contact with a staff member, Golf Digest reported.
Mickelson, 55, has not been accused of any crime, and his lawyer, Tom Clare, said the golfer ultimately chose to resign from the club.
A lawyer for Phil Mickelson says the six-time major winner resigned from a country club near San Diego where he was accused of inappropriate contact with a female employee (Getty Images)
According to Golf Digest, citing unnamed sources, the employee alleged Mickelson approached her inside the clubhouse and made nonconsensual physical contact. The woman reportedly rejected the alleged advances and informed her supervisors.
The club launched an investigation and later confronted Mickelson while he was on the course, according to the report. He was allegedly asked to leave the property.
In a statement provided to Golf Digest, The Farms said it took “decisive action” following a report of member misconduct.
Mickelson became the oldest major champion in golf history when he won the 2021 PGA Championship (Getty)
“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,” the club said. “This individual is no longer a member of The Farms Golf Club.”
The club declined to provide further details, citing privacy concerns.
A spokesperson for Mickelson disputed any wrongdoing and said the matter had been resolved.
Mickelson was a central figure in helping to launch Saudi-funded LIV Golf (Getty)
“Any misunderstanding has been cleared up,” the spokesperson said. “Phil continues to attend to a family health matter and is uncertain when he will be able to return to professional golf.”
The allegations surfaced during a difficult stretch for Mickelson, who has withdrawn from both the Masters and PGA Championship this year while dealing with what he has described as a family health issue. He also missed out on this week’s U.S. Open after exhausting his exemptions into the tournament.
Mickelson, the oldest major champion in golf history after winning the 2021 PGA Championship at age 50, later became one of the most prominent faces of the Saudi-backed LIV Golf circuit.