Phil Mickelson To Skip the Bob Hope Classic, Play in U.A.E
Phil Mickelson has expressed a desire to play more on the international stage in recent years. By opening the 2011 season in the United Arab Emirates, he’ll be showing that that desire is genuine.
Instead of playing at the Bob Hope Classic, where he is a two-time winner, Mickelson will be starting next season at the Abu Dhabi Championship before going on to play several tournaments on the West Coast, including events in Phoenix, Torrey Pines, and Pebble Beach.
With the opportunities for growth and extra appearance fees that overseas tournaments provide, Mickelson’s appearance in the Middle East is a key to expanding his global brand. That is making him popular among the betting fans.
Despite his past success at the Bob Hope Classic, Mickelson has been dissatisfied with the new rotation of courses for the event, which has deviated from the traditional set of courses that were featured in the past. The defection of Mickelson from the tournament is only the latest blow that the tournament has suffered.
Last year’s tournament also conflicted with the Abu Dhabi Championship, which resulted in nine players requesting releases so that they could compete in the U.A.E. Causing controversy was the fact that one of the players, Anthony Kim, was an American golfer who grew up around Palm Springs.
