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Mickelson missed the first two majors of 2022,
including his title defense at the PGA Championship, as he
stepped away from competition amid a backlash over comments he
made about the Saudi-backed LIV Golf circuit, where he resumed
his career last June.
But Mickelson, who has been as much a part of the Masters as the
vibrant azaleas at Augusta National, is back in familiar
surroundings and soaking up every moment as he gets set to make
his 30th start in the tournament.
"It is my favorite 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," said Mickelson.
"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.'"
Mickelson's happy-go-lucky personality, remarkable short game
and go-for-broke nature produced some of the most memorable
moments in Masters history and along the way he has been adored
by the tournament's patrons.
His public image took a hit in February 2022 when the author of
an unauthorized biography on him released excerpts from the book
in which the American golfer called the Saudis "scary" but said
he was willing to look past their human rights records to gain
leverage with the PGA Tour.
The 52-year-old Mickelson, who played nine practice holes on
Tuesday with fellow LIV Golf players Dustin Johnson and Harold
Varner III, said he was warmly received by all those who lined
the famed course.
"It's great. It's fun to be back. Everyone has been wonderful,"
said the six-time major winner. "Everybody here is so classy.
Gosh, it's fun to be here."
Mickelson is scheduled to tee off in Thursday's opening round at
12:24 p.m. ET (1624 GMT) alongside fellow American Tom Hoge and
South Korea's Kim Si-woo.
(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Augusta, Georgia; Editing by Toby
Davis)
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