Phil Mickelson ‘didn’t say a word’ at Masters champions dinner

One man’s attendance at the Masters’ traditional champions’ dinner has led to an extremely awkward encounter at Augusta National.

Phil Mickelson at the Masters champions dinner.

Golf’s biggest controversial story over the past two years was not discussed at the Master’s Champions Dinner on Tuesday night at Augusta National. And one superstar didn’t do much talking at all.

The NY Post reports Fuzzy Zoeller — the 1979 Masters champion — and Tommy Aaron, the 1973 winner, told Golfweek Phil Mickelson didn’t have much to say.

“We’re just 33 past champions in a room, all trying to get along,” Zoeller said.

“Nobody said a word about it. Phil sat near the end of the table and kept to himself. He didn’t speak at all.”

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As for Aaron’s thoughts on Mickelson, “I wished him good luck, but I couldn’t believe how quiet he was. Phil took a very low profile. He didn’t say a word.”

The 52-year-old Mickelson has been taking a lower profile in the lead up to this 2023 Masters.

Scenes from the Champions Dinner.

(📸: @TheMasters) pic.twitter.com/VIrd69icoJ

— Golf Digest (@GolfDigest) April 5, 2023

He was asked by the Masters committee if he would like to conduct a pre-tournament press conference, which has been the norm for him for some two decades, and he politely declined, sources told The Post’s Mark Cannizzaro on Tuesday.

Phil Mickelson didn’t say much at the Masters champions dinner. Photo: Twitter

Mickelson did speak to reporters after his practice round, but did not bring up the controversial LIV-PGA Tour battle.

“It’s great to be back,’’ Mickelson told reporters. “It is my favourite week, so being here and being a part of it and being able to experience this great place and what it means is so fun because, as a kid, you grow up dreaming about being a part of this. You dream of winning it, being in contention, and then when you actually are a pro and you are playing here, you’re like, ‘Wow, I want to be a part of this every year.’

“That’s the coolest thing about having won here is that you’re a part of this event and part of the history. It’s really, really special thing.’’

Fred Couples, who won the Masters in 1992, has been vocal about his opposition to the LIV players breaking away from the PGA Tour, but didn’t bring up the controversial subject during the dinner.

Couples recently called Mickelson “a nutbag” and said LIV wildly overpaid for him, considering the current state of his game.

“Couples spoke a lot but didn’t mention LIV at all,” Aaron said. “I sat next to Freddie, and he and Ray Floyd kept trying to figure out how many champions had come out of the final group.”

Phil Mickelson is one of several LIV players competing at The Masters. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)

Mickelson may also be keeping a low profile because of his recent struggles on the course.

The three-time Masters champion, who has plummeted to 425 in the world golf rankings, has yet to post a result in the top 25 in a LIV event this season.

According to the report, Ben Crenshaw — a two-time Masters champion (1984, 1995) — emceed the event and didn’t bring up the LIV golf controversy. Augusta National Chairman Fred Ridley, who also was invited to the dinner, also spoke but also did not bring up the elephant in the room.

Scottie Scheffler, the defending Masters champion, was the guest of honour.

Per tradition the defending champion picks the menu for the Champions Dinner, and the Texan ordered up a dinner of cheeseburger sliders, firecracker shrimp, tortilla soup, Texas ribeye or blackened redfish and for dessert, a warm chocolate chip skillet cookie with milk and cookies ice cream.

This article originally appeared in the NY Post and was reproduced with permission.