Mickelson Out Of Torrey Pines North Course Project

Whether you liked what you heard or not, San Diego resident Phil Mickelson had a vested interest in making Torrey Pines' North Course better. But for reasons that aren't totally clear, the longtime resident has pulled out of the project to renovate the North citing a California Fair Political Practice Commission ruling.

Tod Leonard with the full report and strong quotes from Mickelson, who leaves a project that will now be carried out by the always dangerous combination of a non-local contractor running the show, with potentially a non-local consulting architect along for the ride.

“I’m deeply disappointed with this entire process,” said Mickelson, the native San Diegan and 42-time winner on the PGA Tour. “We did a lot of good work, we had overwhelming support from the residents of San Diego on this project and now we’re disqualified from bidding on it.”

Construction bids for the North Course were due to the city today. Landscapes Unlimited, the company that was previously teamed with Phil Mickelson Design for the project, was to submit a bid without him attached.

Contacted by the San Diego Union-Tribune, San Diego City Golf Manager Mark Marney was reviewing Mickelson's comments and did not have a comment as of noon on Tuesday.

And the toughest comments from the press release, which I have not received...

Noting the doubling of the project budget in his press release, Mickelson said, “My vision was to make Torrey Pines North more environmentally sustainable, more enjoyable for amateurs of all abilities, more challenging for PGA Tour players and we were planning to do it for less than $6 million. The city and Golf Division’s $12.6 million budget is far higher than we expected or intended.

“It really is unfortunate. San Diegans and visitors deserve a better North Course but they don’t need or want one that costs as much as this one will.”

Comments

[ol Harv]

Confusing might be the understatement of the year. Read the article and still don't fully understand why he's no longer a part of the project? I thought our local government was inept.

[Blue Canyon]

"What will Phil do next?"

[manofmystery]

Why on earth would taxpayer dollars be anywhere near renovating a golf course?

[mark]

Funny, he wants to do more for about Half the Price and the Government just doesnt seem to care.

[Blood Moon]

No mystery. The taxpayers own it. This has been a colossal cluster f**k from the beginning. This is no different than the Chargers stadium process. Right or wrong everything becomes 10 times harder and costlier in CA.

[so]

Crapification at its finest.

[N Johnson]

Part of me hopes they somehow destroy both courses and have to get Gil Hanse or someone in to build new and better ones

[Laurel creek]

Geoff, news flash Mickelson has been trying to move out of california since jerry brown came in with his 14% state income tax on the rich ...on top of Obamas 39.6. He has only one property left... If he moves to Nevada, he saves 7 mil per year. HELLO

[digsouth]

It sounds like some city officials have been offered funds from the 12 mil; whereas PM was actually only doing real work and not kickbacks for 6 mil.

[elf]

The California Political process commission ruling is interesting.......it suggests there was something going on with the initial process that wasn't totally kosher.

[DTF]

I'm sorry Phil backtracked on his previous comments about CA because he nailed it. I love the place but like someone said above if Phil pulls the plug soon it won't be a surprise....

[elf]

Also side note to this discussion: Phil's project (according to the article) ended up projecting out to $18mil in the end. The 6mil figure Phil quoted doesn't include the South improvements that the city now apparently wants, or paying the new living wage that is required by law (goshdard that whole paying people enough money to live on).

[BrianS]

@ Elf - they ask Phil to submit a redesign at the NC, he does so within the budget. Then they add on totally unrelated upgrades to the SC and pass a new law regarding increasing much to pay manual laborers - then they complain that they budget is busted ?

[KS]

Apparently his original proposal forgot to include paying all those people who don't exist.