Six-time major winner Phil Mickelson has had his membership revoked at a private California golf club following allegations of inappropriate contact with a female employee, according to BBC Sport.
The incident is alleged to have taken place earlier this spring at the Farms Golf Club in Rancho Santa Fe, near San Diego. Following a complaint from the employee, Mickelson was asked to leave the club mid-round. The allegations were first reported by Golf Digest.
In a statement provided to BBC Sport, the Farms Golf Club said it conducted a thorough independent investigation after receiving a staff member report of member misconduct and took decisive action. "This individual is no longer a member of The Farms Golf Club," the statement read. The club also said it provided immediate and ongoing support to the staff member and that it could not comment further to protect the safety and privacy of its staff and members.
BBC Sport said it contacted Mickelson's representatives for comment but had not received a response at the time of reporting.
Mickelson, 55, was once one of the most popular figures in professional golf. At 51, he became the oldest man to win a major when he captured the 2021 US PGA Championship at Kiawah Island. He was known for an affable style and was regarded as a family man who attracted large sponsorship deals.
His standing in the sport began to erode after he made derogatory comments about the Saudi Arabian backers of LIV Golf, a breakaway tour he nonetheless joined as one of its first recruits. Following the publication of those comments by journalist Alan Shipnuck, Mickelson stepped away from the game, missing the 2022 Masters and skipping the defense of his US PGA title.
When he returned for LIV's inaugural event in June 2022, Mickelson addressed the controversy directly. "I've said and done a lot of things that I regret," he told reporters at his pre-tournament press conference. "I'm sorry for that and sorry for the hurt it caused a lot of people."
Mickelson had also been involved in a U.S. federal investigation into insider trading. Earlier this year, he announced he would miss the Masters and take what he described as an extended break from golf.
