USGA to Media: We Can’t Just Ban Players You Don’t Like

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Phil Mickelson Dustin Johnson LIV Golf
Phil Mickelson putts as Nick Faldo and Dustin Johnson look on during a practice round prior to the Masters at Augusta National GC on Nov 10, 2020 in Augusta, GA. (Photo by Rob Carr via Getty Images)

Despite a smear campaign by the far-left golf media, the USGA today announced that Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson will play in next week’s U.S. Open and that a player’s personal beliefs and politics is not a reason for disqualification.

Mickelson and Johnson are among several players in the LIV Golf Invitational field this week who are exempt for the U.S. Open on June 16-19 at The Country Club in Boston. Both Mickelson and DJ plan to play the third major of the season.

Sergio Garcia, Louis Oosthuizen, Talor Gooch and Kevin Na are among other U.S. Open exempt players who are playing in the new league led by Greg Norman.

“Regarding players who may choose to play in London this week, we simply asked ourselves this question: should a player who had earned his way into the 2022 U.S. Open, via our published field criteria, be pulled out of the field as a result of his decision to play in another event,” the USGA said in a released statement.

“And we ultimately decided that they should not.”

Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson
Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson pose for a photo during the LIV Golf Invitational – London Draft on June 07, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by Aitor Alcalde / LIV Golf via Getty Images)

The far-left media has run a well-coordinated smear campaign (here, here, here, here and here) against the league, and its marquee names, particularly Norman, Mickelson and now Johnson.

“I realize people have strong points of view and think perhaps there should be some morality clause,” said Mike Whan, the CEO of the USGA, in a media interview.

“As I said to our team last night, with more than 9,300 entrants for the U.S. Open, if we decide what’s on their sleeve or their bag or what tour they’re playing, what we think is OK and not OK, I’m not sure that circle ever stops.

“We don’t track personal beliefs and who funds them. It doesn’t mean we don’t care.”

The PGA Tour will reportedly suspend or ban the players who tee it up in London this week. The four majors, however, are not run by the Tour.

Source: AP

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