If Phil Mickelson had thought that LIV Golf tournaments were a safe haven for himself, where the crowds accepted him, away from condemnation, he was somewhat mistaken.
On the 16th tee box at yesterday's LIV Golf Invitational Bedminster at Trump National (Old Course), Mickelson was met with a heckle of 'You work for the Saudi royal family!', from a member of the crowd.
There were boos towards the heckler and murmurs of disagreement from the rest of the crowd, which showed that most were on the side of Mickelson. But it once again served as a reminder of the controversy surrounding the Saudi-backed tour, which will, in all likelihood, forever plague its existence.
Watch: Mickelson Heckled At LIV Golf Invitational
Phil Mickelson gets heckled as he is about to tee off at the Saudi golf event on Trump’s course: “You work for the Saudi royal family!” pic.twitter.com/0QLwYcjdqK
— Ron Filipkowski 🇺🇦 (@RonFilipkowski) July 29, 2022
READ MORE: Padraig Harrington Hammers Timing Of Henrik Stenson's Move To LIV Golf
READ MORE: LIV Golf Meets Trump: A Look Ahead To LIV Golf Invitational Bedminster
Given that the tournament was taking place on a Trump owned course and its proximity to 'Ground Zero', the backlash and protests from families of 9/11 groups had ramped up in the last week, as we previously reported on.
Following the round, which saw Mickelson finish close to the bottom on four over par, the six-time major winner spoke to the press, but did his best to avoid controversy when asked about the heckling.
I had a really good day. The people here have always been great. They’ve always treated me well, and I had a really good day with the fans. I’m just a little frustrated with my game, to be honest. To three-putt the last two holes with makeable birdies, I’m just frustrated because I expect more of myself.
Besides the Trump narrative, the other most talked about storyline heading into this weekend's tournament, was that of Henrik Stenson's LIV Golf debut.
The Swede, recently stripped of his Ryder Cup captaincy following his move to LIV, is tied for first with Patrick Reed on seven under par.
SEE ALSO: PGA Tour Star Admits He Was Speechless After 'Embarrassing' Hole-In-One
