Phil Mickelson causes outrage at The Open with LIV golfer snubbed by TV coverage

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Phil Mickelson usually has the cameras following his every move at major championships, but TV cameras have barely shown a single shot of his opening round at The Open and fans watching are not impressed. Mickelson took a self-imposed sabbatical from the PGA Tour earlier this year after controversial comments he made about the Saudi-backed LIV Golf Series surfaced.

He ended up skipping both The Masters and the PGA Championship before making his first major appearance of the year at the US Open. The American golf icon was placed in one of the featured groups alongside Shane Lowry and Louis Oosthuizen, but failed to make the cut for the weekend.

In the meantime, Mickelson has played both LIV Golf Invitational events in London and Portland in recent weeks. The controversial event has caused a stir among fellow players and the sport’s governing bodies.

Both the PGA Tour and DP World Tour have issued sanctions against players who have joined LIV Golf. And the R&A have become the first major to speak out on the breakaway circuit with chief executive Martin Slumbers saying it is “driven by money”.

They also appear to have punished the 23 LIV golfers competing at The Open this week. The likes of Mickelson, Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka would all usually be included in the featured groups at majors and be part of the main TV coverage.

But Mickelson was grouped with Lucas Herbert and Kurt Kitayama and teed off just after 7am. Cameras showed his tee shot with ‘Lefty’ given a warm reception by those in attendance at the grandstand.

But little else has been shown of Mickelson and that has left plenty frustrated trying to catch a glimpse of the six-time major champion. One Twitter user wrote: “A year ago they would be showing @PhilMickelson all morning. This is petty and I hope one of those fellas go low.”

Another posted: “The @USA_Network broadcast for The Open is blatantly trying to avoid covering LIV Golfers.” A third tweeted: “How about showing some @PhilMickelson? Your bias is showing.”

Another simply pleaded: “Show Phil Mickelson please.”

Mickelson started the day off well, getting through the opening nine holes at one-under par. But his back nine was far more up and down with three bogeys and two birdies through the 10th and 14th.

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