Scandal involving Phil Mickelson: Expelled from club for misconduct toward a female employee

Phil Mickelson, a six-time major champion and one of the most famous golfers in history, is once again at the center of a controversy unrelated to sports. According to information from the trade magazine Golf Digest, the 55-year-old American was expelled from The Farms Golf Club in Rancho Santa Fe, California—after a club employee accused him of non-consensual and inappropriate physical contact. A first draft—a story still unfolding.

The incident: What is known

The incident is said to have taken place in the spring of 2026, before Mickelson played a round of golf at the course. According to several sources cited by Golf Digest, Mickelson approached a female employee in the clubhouse and allegedly made physical contact with her without her consent. The employee rejected him and immediately reported the incident to her supervisor.

Club management reacted swiftly: An independent investigation was launched while Mickelson was still playing his round. Shortly thereafter, he was confronted with the allegations on the course and asked to leave the premises—which he did without finishing his round. A display honoring his athletic achievements, which had previously hung in the clubhouse, has since been removed.

The Farms confirmed the incident in an official statement to Golf Digest, without naming Mickelson:

“The Farms Golf Club is committed to maintaining a golf club environment that is safe and respectful and reflects the highest standards of conduct. [...] Following a report from an employee regarding a member’s misconduct, the club provided the employee with immediate and ongoing support, conducted a thorough independent investigation of the incident, and took decisive action. This individual is no longer a member of The Farms Golf Club.”

Several internal club sources confirmed to Golf Digest that the individual in question is Mickelson. Following the publication, a spokesperson for the golfer confirmed that Mickelson had announced his resignation from the club.

The Counterstatement: Lawyer Threatens Lawsuit

Mickelson himself did not comment directly on the allegations. His spokesperson merely stated:

“Any misunderstanding has been cleared up. Phil continues to deal with a private family health matter and it is uncertain when he will be able to return to professional golf.”(Phil Mickelson’s spokesperson, statement to Golf Digest)

Mickelson’s attorney, Tom Clare, took a tougher stance. He described the information being circulated as misinformation and threatened legal action:

“There is a great deal of misinformation circulating, and while Phil’s full attention is devoted to a private family health matter, he has retained a defamation attorney and is determined to hold any publication or individual accountable that engages in speculation or false rumors.”(Attorney Tom Clare, statement to Golf Digest)

Clare also claimed that the incident had been clearly refuted by objective video footage. However, the relevant video was not provided to Golf Digest or any other media outlets. The club, in turn, clarified that no video recordings of the incident exist—a direct refutation of the attorney’s statement.

The San Diego County Sheriff’s Office stated that it had already investigated the incident but found no evidence of a criminal act. At the same time, the authorities declared their intention to reopen the investigation if new evidence emerges.

Already sidelined in sports: Mickelson’s difficult year in 2026

The club controversy comes at a time when Mickelson is barely active on the golf circuit. Back in February, he had announced his withdrawal from tournament play due to an unspecified family health matter. His only appearance so far this season was at the LIV Golf event in South Africa in March, where he finished in 48th place.

He skipped both the Masters in Augusta and the PGA Championship. He is not qualified for the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills, which begins next week—his five-year exemption as the 2021 PGA Championship winner has expired. As a former champion, he is still on the starting list for The Open Championship at Royal Birkdale in July, but his participation there is also in doubt.

Added to this is the uncertain future of LIV Golf itself: Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, which has financed the tournament to date, will withdraw its support later this year—leaving Mickelson’s sporting home of recent years on shaky ground.

One Career, Two Faces: The Complicated Legacy of Phil Mickelson

To understand the context of this report, one must look at the bigger picture—and it is more contradictory than one might expect from one of the greatest golfers of all time.

Phil Mickelson grew up in San Diego and became a local legend there before captivating the entire golfing world. Three Masters titles, a triumph at The Open Championship, and two PGA Championship victories are part of a career that unquestionably places him among the greatest of all time. His victory at the 2021 PGA Championship on Kiawah Island—at the age of 50—made him the oldest major champion in golf history and was considered one of the most emotional moments in the sport in recent memory.

But alongside these undeniable athletic achievements, Mickelson has been dogged for years by headlines that have little to do with golf.

In 2016, he was implicated as a so-called “relief defendant” in an insider trading case. Although he was not criminally charged, he agreed to repay nearly one million U.S. dollars. The main defendant in the case, professional gambler Billy Walters, was sentenced to five years in prison. In his autobiography, published in 2023, Walters claimed that Mickelson had wagered a total of more than one billion US dollars over 30 years.

However, Mickelson suffered perhaps the most damaging blow to his reputation in 2022 when, in an interview, he described the Saudi backers behind LIV Golf as “scary bastards”—while also admitting that he was primarily using his move to the rival league as leverage against the PGA Tour. The remarks cost him nearly all of his major sponsors and alienated him from a large portion of his long-time fan base.

Context: What this report means

Allegations of this nature against a public figure require journalistic diligence. The facts are clear: A club claims to have conducted an independent investigation and acted accordingly. According to Golf Digest, the employee in question confirmed her identity but did not wish to appear publicly. The legal rebuttal from Mickelson’s attorney contains an allegation—the video footage—that was explicitly refuted by the club.

What remains are unanswered questions: Will Mickelson take legal action against media reports? When—and if—he will return to professional golf. And how future generations will assess his legacy as a whole.