Masters patrons give Phil Mickelson a warm welcome
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - The second day of practice rounds at Augusta National Golf Club was Phil Mickelson’s Masters debut as a LIV golfer.
Everyone was curious to see what the reception would be.
His group drew some of the biggest galleries of the day, and patrons were largely cheering him on, happy to see him.
“It was a lot bigger than I expected. I figured it’d be low key, but it wasn’t Tiger galleries but it was definitely a bigger gallery following that whole group,” said patron Garrett Sloan from Greenville.
Mike Leonard said: “People love Phil no matter where he plays. He could play on the moon and he’d get a crowd. Somebody would fly up there.”
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Mickelson said it’s fun to be back.
“Everyone has been wonderful,” he said.
Did he expect a different reception?
“No. Everybody here is so classy. Gosh, it’s fun to be here,” he said.
He practiced with an entirely LIV golf grouping including Harold Varner, Dustin Johnson and Talor Gooch, but the opinions are plentiful.
“Money talks. Ya know what I mean. But I think he might have sold his soul a little bit. I’ve always been in Phil’s camp. Yeah … but I don’t know,” said Paul and Richard Sullivan.
Sloan said: “Do whatever you want to do. If it betters your family, you play less golf, I don’t see the problem with it. Have fun with it.
“I’d stay. Money comes and goes. He is a gambler though, so …”
Dario Mastroianni from New Jersey said: “I think if I’m Phil at his age now, I take the money. If I’m Phil 20 years ago, he doesn’t go. He made the decision he wanted to make.”
It’s all pretty civil, but if a LIV golfer slides on the green jacket ...
“There’d be a mutiny,” Mastroianni said.
“I think it’s business. At the end of the day, what are you going to do? It would be nice to validate the amount of talent that is over there on LIV, and I think a lot of guys are playing really well heading in. So I think it will be fun to watch.”
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