Bob Hope Classic reacts to snub by Phil Mickelson
The Bob Hope Classic is the third PGA Tour event of the 2011 season, taking place in La Quinta, California from 20 to 24 January.
Tournament organizers received some bad news this week when California-native Phil Mickelson, the tour’s biggest draw after Tiger Woods, announced he will not make his season debut at
the event but will instead participate in the Abu Dhabi Championship the same week in the United Arab Emirates.
“Needless to say, I am disappointed,” Larry Thiel, tournament chairman of the Hope, told reporters. “However, I never had a commitment from him to play. What I received from his management
people was that if Phil did not to go to Abu Dhabi, he would certainly want to play in the Hope.”
Mickelson, who won the Hope in 2002 and 2004, has not teed it up at La Quinta since 2007. The five-day tournament where players play alongside celebrities has had a tough time attracting
the world’s best players, with zero appearances from Tiger Woods.
But Mickelson has recently taken a keener interest in playing more events overseas. “I feel like there's an obligation as a player to try to bring the game to different parts of the world,”
Mickelson told reporters. “The UAE, especially Abu Dhabi, and China seem to be our greatest growth opportunities.”
Tournament officials were not pleased when, in addition to Mickelson, Californian Anthony Kim pulled out of last year's event to go play the Abu Dhabi, a European Tour event. While Kim
is yet to make up his mind for this year, organizers of the Hope are disappointed about the absence of Mickelson. “I would love to have Phil in this field, not only to have a great player in the field, but because people seem to embrace him as a California
player,” Thiel said.
While it seems Mickelson has made his decision, Thiel maintains hope that he will be back one day. “We hope
he will be hearing some things from us and seeing some things from us to make him consider us again in the future."
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