Phil Mickelson was not stopped from playing this year’s Masters because of his controversial comments surrounding the breakaway Saudi super league, says Augusta chairman Fred Ridley.
Three-time champion Mickelson is not playing for the first time in 28 years.
The 51-year-old American is taking a break from golf after apologising for his criticism of Saudi Arabia’s regime.
“We did not disinvite Phil,” said Ridley. “He made a personal decision and I don’t know anything beyond that.”
Ridley would not be drawn on whether any players who sign up to the super league - a lucrative Formula One-style tour funded by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund which holds its first tournament near London in June - would be banned from future Masters.
The super league plan has provoked anger and led to six-time major champion Mickelson saying the PGA Tour was acting like a “dictatorship”.
Mickelson branded the Saudi regime - which has been criticised for its human rights - as “scary” and said the super league project was a “once in a lifetime opportunity to reshape how the PGA Tour operates”.
In late February, Mickelson announced he would take a break from the game “to work on becoming the man I want to be” following the fallout from his comments.
A fortnight ago, Mickelson’s name was removed from a list of active players competing at the Masters, which he has a lifetime exemption to play and last won in 2010.
It created debate over whether Mickelson was banned by the PGA Tour or encouraged by Augusta National to not play. Ridley says it was Mickelson’s choice not to participate at the major, which begins on Thursday.
“Phil reached out to me, I think in late February, early March and let me know he did not intend to play. That was by way of text,” said Ridley.
“I thanked him for his courtesy of letting me know and told him I was willing to discuss that further if he liked and we had a very cordial exchange.
“Phil has been a real fixture here for many, many years and a big part of our history and we certainly wish him the best in working through the issues he has now.” (BBC Sport)