Mickelson Explains Celebration Of Open Champions Absence

While the rest of the golfing world has been in celebratory mood, Phil Mickelson has been notable for his absence this week in St Andrews.

Normally in the spotlight, Lefty's participation in the Saudi-backed LIV Golf Invitational Series has left him out of favour in some quarters, and after signing for a level-par 72 to begin his bid for a seventh Major, the 52-year-old explained why he wasn't honoured alongside his fellow former Open winners at the Celebration of Champions on Monday and subsequent Champions' Dinner on Tuesday evening.

"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," he said. "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."

Video: What is LIV Golf?

Also missing from events in the build-up to the 150th Open was LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman. The R&A uninvited the Australian amid fears his presence would take the shine off the Championship and its heritage.

Some of the game's biggest names have been sanctioned by the traditional tours for competing in the Norman-fronted events without a release. The PGA Tour has issued indefinite suspensions while the DP World Tour fined its members £100,000 and banned them from the three newly co-sanctioned tournaments on the 2022 schedule. 

In a further blow to LIV defectors, they now face the prospect of being banned by the four Majors from 2022 onwards. On Tuesday, R&A Chief Executive Martin Slumbers said the governing body would "review our exemptions and qualifications criteria for the Open" and it is understood that an avenue under consideration is to deny anyone who is suspended from either the PGA or DP World Tour a spot in future editions of the game's oldest championship.

It is also believed the four Major organisations would act in unison in changing the qualifying criteria for the game's marquee events. Such a move would deepen the divide at the pinnacle of the men's game and deal the Saudi-funded venture a massive blow in its bid to establish itself as a legitimate long-term rival to the status quo.

Despite the controversy, Mickelson insists he is happy with the decision he's made, adding: "I love the [LIV] 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."