Phil Mickelson has been accused of inappropriate behavior by a female employee.
Phil Mickelson has been removed from a golf club after being accused by a female employee of inappropriate contact.
Golf Digest have reported that Mickelson was banished from the Farms Golf Club outside San Diego – a place where he has practiced for years – after an incident this spring.
Mickelson is alleged to have approached the employee at the Farms clubhouse before a round and made nonconensual and inappropriate contact with her. While the 55-year-old thenheaded to the course, Golf Digest report that the employee reported the incident to supervisors. Mickelson was located on the course and confronted about the accusations, eventually being told to vacate the course before finishing his round.
“The Farms Golf Club is committed to maintaining a golf club environment that is safe, respectful and reflects the highest standards of conduct,” read a club statement sent to Golf Digest.
“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 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.”
Mickelson declined to comment when approached by Golf Digest, but a spokesperson acting on behalf of the golfer said: “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.”
It has since emerged that the incident was investigated by the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office.
According to a statement provided to the California Post, the authorities have “made attempts to locate any evidence to support the potential allegation of a sexual assault”, but have not received an official report in relation to the case and “at this time, we have not located any evidence to show an assault has occurred.”
An SDCSO spokesperson said: “The Sheriff’s Office would absolutely investigate further if provided additional evidence or information. We encourage anyone with information regarding an incident such as this to reach out to the Sheriff’s Office.”