Phil Mickelson tells Rory McIlroy ‘you can’t live your life in fear’

Phil Mickelson and Jordan Spieth have backed Rory McIlroy's decision to play football shortly before the defence of his British Open title, revealing they have done far more dangerous things.

McIlroy is a major doubt for next week’s Major at St Andrews after rupturing an ankle ligament during a kickabout with friends in Bangor last week, a decision which has been criticised in some quarters.

However, Mickelson recalled missing the 1994 Masters after a skiing accident, while Spieth’s recent fishing trip in the Bahamas ended with him battling to land a 300lb shark for two and a half hours.

“I can’t talk about that for the simple reason I did it myself,” Mickelson said ahead of the Scottish Open at Gullane, an event McIlroy was also due to play in. “In ’94 I snapped my femur in half before the Masters.

“I said then, and I feel the same way now, you can’t live your life in fear. You have to enjoy the moment. I didn’t feel like anything he (McIlroy) was doing was unnecessary risk. He was just playing around and accidents happen.

“People get hurt taking a shower and doing normal day-to-day things. You can’t stop living your life. It’s unfortunate that it happened. Hopefully he’ll heal soon and be back at it. If he can’t play next week, certainly by the PGA I would hope [where McIlroy is also defending champion].”

Although Spieth admits he would probably not try skiing due to the chance of injury, he revealed on Tuesday he has no hesitation playing basketball with his caddie and also gave details of his eventful fishing trip after winning the US Open.

The world number two was initially trying to reel in a tuna as small sharks kept approaching to try to get the fish.

"The captain was scaring them off, banging on the boat and on the water," Spieth told a press conference at the John Deere Classic. "And all of a sudden, it just rips back down again. And I almost got pulled in. And it was so much heavier.

“What surfaced was like a 12-foot long, 300lb black tip shark that had eaten this tuna and then had hooked itself, so I guess I caught both in one because I got that shark.

“I didn’t want to give up until I actually couldn’t move my arm any more. It was sore for a couple of days, but I’m good now.”

Meanwhile, Mickelson has expressed his disappointment at the comments on immigration made by Donald Trump and the "awkward situation" they have created for professional golf.

The game’s most influential organisations distanced themselves last week from Trump’s views on Mexican immigrants, which were expressed when the 69-year-old announced his decision to stand for president of the United States in June.

And on Tuesday the PGA of America announced it had been “mutually agreed” that the Grand Slam of Golf – a 36-hole event contested by the year’s Major champions – would not take place as scheduled at Trump National in Los Angeles on October 20th-21st.

Trump owns courses that have ties to almost all major golf organisations and claimed in January this year that the European Tour’s Scottish Open would be staged at his course north of Aberdeen.

“I think we were all disappointed to hear his comments,” Mickelson said.

“Yet it doesn’t take away from all that he’s done to try to help better golf, and take these properties and turn them around and make them prosperous, like he did here at the golf course in Aberdeen; it’s just a wonderful golf course.

“It puts everybody in an awkward situation because we don’t agree with those comments, but yet we are appreciative of what he’s done to help promote the game of golf, and that puts everybody in a tough spot.”