Phil Mickelson may skip Houston Open to avoid fans before Masters?

As Ryan Lavner wrote for Golf Channel, the Houston Open held at Memorial Park Golf Course from Nov. 5-8 is the first PGA Tour event in the United States set to welcome fans since the coronavirus pandemic caused a break in play in March. Up to 2,000 spectators will be permitted to attend per day. 

Phil Mickelson isn't too keen on the idea with the first round of the Masters scheduled to get underway on Nov. 12. 

"I think that they will do a very good, safe job in having 2,000 people at the Houston Open,'' Mickelson said on Wednesday while preparing to play in the Zozo Championship held at the Sherwood Country Club in California, per Bob Harig of ESPN. "However, for me personally, I don't like the risk that having that happen the week before the Masters. I just feel like the week before the Masters, like that's a big tournament we have and I just don't want to have any risk heading in there.

"So it has made me question whether or not I'll play there. But then I have to give the Tour a lot of credit and confidence in the way that they've handled the entire year and I'm sure they're going to do a great job at keeping the players safe in that environment.

"But because I haven't seen it before, because it's the first one out on the Tour with some people, I'm unsure and I don't want to take any unnecessary risks. I don't go out to dinner, I don't go out and socialize, because I want to make sure that I have an opportunity to compete in the Masters.''

Mickelson added that he could skip Houston and play the PGA Tour Champions’ Charles Schwab Cup Championship at Phoenix Country Club as long as that event didn't allow patrons.

Also on Wednesday, 2013 Masters champion Adam Scott withdrew from the Zozo after he tested positive for COVID-19. World No. 1 Dustin Johnson missed the CJ Cup and this week's event following a bout with the coronavirus. 

Thus far, the Tour has confirmed 15 positive virus cases among players this year.