A collection of great golfers gathered in St. Louis. Andrews for the annual Champions Dinner before the 150th match of the British Open on Tuesday night.
While many important names attended, such as defending champion Collin Morikawa, three-time Tiger Woods winner and Hall of Fame member Jack Nicklaus, to name a few, there were some pretty notable exceptions.
Greg Norman not invited to the British Open
First, Hall of Fame member Greg Norman didn’t attend Tuesday night, but that shouldn’t surprise anyone.
Norman, who won the British Open in 1986 and 1993, was not invited to the tournament this year by the Royal and Ancient Golf Club. The decision came amid Norman’s involvement with the LIV Golf Invitational series.
“The 150th Open is an extremely important milestone for golf and we want to make sure the focus remains on the celebration of the Championship and its heritage,” R&A said in a statement, in part. “Unfortunately, we don’t think that would be the case if Greg attended. Hopefully when circumstances allow, Greg will be able to attend again in the future.”
As the CEO of the controversial Saudi-backed golf league, Norman is no guest makes sense. Still, Norman called the decision “petty.”
Phil Mickelson leaves, Louis Oosthuizen enters
Although Norman did not attend, there was a member of LIV Golf who was able to participate in the champions dinner.
St. Louis Oosthuizen is in the field this week in St. Louis. Andrews and joined his fellow British Open winners for the annual dinner. Oosthuizen, who won the British Open in 2010, was one of the prominent names to make it to the LIV Golf series.
The R&A has allowed LIV golfers to compete this week, although it is unclear whether he or the other major championships will allow them to do so going forward. Clearly, at least for now, R & A’s biggest problem with the league is with Norman.
While Oosthuizen was there, Phil Mickelson chose to omit it.
The story goes on
Mickelson, who won the event in 2013, retired from both the four-hole challenge and the champions dinner this week. He is still planning to play in the tournament, which is only his second non-LIV golf event since he made the leap from the PGA Tour. Mickelson is perhaps the most critical of his involvement in the new league, and that was all he was asked at the U.S. Open last month.
It’s unclear why Mickelson retired from dinner, but it is said the decision was his.
There was a former winner who stood out from the crowd, as he usually does. The 1995 champion, John Daly, appeared in a bright red dress that was impossible to miss and something only he could wear.
Collin Morikawa, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods before the British Open Champions Dinner. (Stuart Kerr / R & A / R & A via Getty Images)