Mickelson skipped champions’ dinner at R&A's suggestion

Phil Mickelson says he didn’t attend the champions’ dinner before the British Open because the R&A told him the club didn’t “think it’s a great idea you go.”

Mickelson won the British Open in 2013 at Muirfield, but he is among the players who have angered the PGA Tour by playing with LIV Golf, the Saudi-funded breakaway series which has caused a rift in the sport.

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

Greg Norman, the CEO of LIV Golf and a two-time Open champion, was asked not to come to St. Andrews for the champions’ dinner either at the 150th anniversary of the tournament because it might be a distraction.

Mickelson shot even par in the first round on the Old Course. He said missing the meal wasn’t taking away from his enjoyment at St. Andrews.

“I love being here,” Mickelson said. “Everybody here loves golf, and we find this place to be very spiritual.”