Golf great Phil Mickelson has redeemed himself to Australia’s Lucas Herbert 11 years after denying him an autograph at the 2011 Presidents Cup in Melbourne.
On Thursday, Herbert played with the six-time Major winner and Kurt Kitayama at the 150th Open at St Andrews. Herbert shot a 70 and Mickelson an even-par 72.
Herbert reminded Mickelson of his 2011 snub while their group was waiting on the 15th tee at the Old Course. Herbert had been a volunteer scorer as a 15-year-old at the 2011 Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne, when he asked Mickelson for an autograph on course. Herbert shared a Golf Channel video to his Instagram story of the hilarious moment Mickelson turned him down.
“I had a laugh about this with Phil today … I reminded him that I hate him, and have hated him for 11 years as a result of him not signing the autograph for me,” Herbert said on his Instagram, clearly joking. “He was very apologetic and played along and it was pretty funny.”
After Mickelson and Herbert finished their round at St Andrews, Mickelson told world No.51 Herbert he had a gift for him.
“In the scorer’s hut, he grabbed a glove out and passed me this glove,” Herbert said on Instagram, flashing the below picture. “So I’m going to frame this glove and it’s one of my prized possessions now.”
Added Mickelson: “Yeah I gave him (a glove) today … it was 11 years late and we had a good laugh.”
Australian Golf Digest asked Herbert after the round what it was like to play with Mickelson at an Open Championship, which Mickelson won in 2013 at Muirfield.
“It was good; he is respectful of you and will speak to you so I enjoyed that,” he said.
