'He's Being Crucified' - Gary Player Defends Phil Mickelson

Gary Player has come out in defence of Phil Mickelson, suggesting the reaction to his Saudi League comments were reflective of a "litigious and critical society" and suggested that he should be welcomed back into the golf community after admitting he made a mistake. 

Speaking after he was one of the honorary starters at the 2022 Masters, Player defended the six-time Major champion, who is absent from the field this week. "I have a special thought on Phil Mickelson. I think we live in a time now when we are such a judgmental society, a litigious society, a critical society, where people get crucified. The greatest PR man on the golf Tour in the last five or X amount of years has been Phil Mickelson. He has been the ideal man for a sponsor, for professional golf, for the public, the way he's handled the public, with dignity and with love.

"And he makes a mistake, which every one of you in this room have made a damn mistake. We all have. And he said he's sorry. But even the Lord God will forgive you of your inequities if you ask for forgiveness. And he made a mistake, and for everybody to be - I've heard him. I said, Hold your head up high. You've made a mistake. Everybody makes a mistake."

"And he should go on with his life. I think it's pitiful -- I actually made a statement on television. I said, If there's nobody that hasn't made a mistake, I'd like to invite anybody in the world to have lunch with me at Augusta, and if you haven't made a mistake, I'll have lunch with you, but I'll have lunch on my own. It's amazing. From the epitome of perfection, he's down there being crucified. It's not right. That's my opinion."

Mickelson is missing from the 2022 Masters field after he hinted at a break from golf amid the Saudi controversy back in February. Earlier this week, Augusta Chairman Fred Ridley disputed claims that Mickelson was disinvited from the event with former Masters champion Mickelson's name being a glaring omission from the field. 

Mickelson has had a few other former and current players defend him, with current Tour player Daniel Berger saying that Lefty "deserved a second chance." Since his statement apologising for his comments back in February, we've not heard from him about a potential return. The next Major is the PGA Championship in May which he will be looking to defend after winning in it in 2021.