Chaska, Minnesota …
The 41st Ryder Cup was ‘all square’ with apologies after Phil Mickelson became the latest to back down from disparaging remarks directed at 2004 USA Captain Hal Sutton.
Mickelson slammed Sutton over his then controversial decision to send he and Tiger Woods out in the very first match at Oakland Hills.
The Star Spangled paired folded badly losing their match and then failing to gel in their afternoon pairing.
Mickelson went into his Wednesday press conference at Hazeltine re-opening old wounds by declaring Sutton’s decision put Mickelson and Woods in a ‘position to fail’.
Phil Mickelson backs down and apologises for his remarks regarding former USA Captain, Hal Sutton.
Mickelson, who has played in just two winning USA Teams since making his debut in 1995, attacked Sutton for not allowing him time to get used to playing a Nike ball as would have been the case in playing alongside Woods in the alternate shot format.
Sutton responded to Mickelson’s outburst stating: “Nothing surprised me in the world we live today. I find it amusing that it’s an issue at the 2016 Ryder Cup. I think Phil better get his mind on what he needs to have it this week instead of something that happened 12 years ago.”
And now, a day after Danny Willett was forced to apologise for his older brother’s ‘brainless bastards’ remark, Mickelson has put his USA side even with Europe with apologies.
“I was totally in the wrong,” said Mickelson.
“I’ve communicated with him. I feel awful as it was in bad taste and it came across like it was a personal attack and I didn’t mean it that way. I was trying to use an example of how a captain can have a strong affect and unfortunately it came across the way it did
“I never should have brought that up. I should not have done that because it affected Hal.”
But just as European Darren Clarke found himself in damage-control mode over Willett’s comments, so did US Captain, Davis Love 111 on Wednesday night (US time).
“Tiger, Phil and myself were trying to get hold of Hal after dinner,” said Love.
“He had enough of it and had gone to bed. He immediately texted back this morning, saying, a captain’s job is to put out fires. You guys go get ‘em. Let’s move on.”
Sutton was then on course yesterday (THU) competing in a ‘Former Captains’ 9-hole match.
