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The Securities and Exchange Commission has named Phil Mickelson as a “relief defendant” in a civil suit alleging Mickelson made $931,000 on a stock trade thanks to insider information from friend and famous sports bettor Billy Walters, who was arrested and charged with securities fraud as part of an investigation into trades of daily product maker Dean Foods.

Whilst Mickelson’s lawyers have said that he was an “innocent victim” in the trading and he has repaid over a million dollars back to the SEC questions about his behaviour remain. He entered the trade because he owed Billy Walters money from gambling debts. This is something which is clearly prohibited under the PGA Player rules and Ty Brocaw from the tour is investigating.

It could lead to Mickelson being suspended, as Dustin Johnson and John Daly have both been in the past.

But is the SEC pretty annoyed they can’t charge him because a recent change in the law in US v Newman? Oh yes. They won’t say it outright, but there is this telling quote from U.S. attorney Preet Bharara, at Thursday’s press conference: “Conduct we think is nefarious, and undermines faith in the market and the fairness of the markets, but will not be able to be prosecuted because of the Newman decision.”

In other words: Count your lucky stars, Phil. you wont be wearing orange like Rickie Fowler. Before the change in the law American celebrity chef Martha Stewart was sent to jail. It’s another one of Phil’s miraculous escapes.

Looking at the facts, Mickelson clearly benefited from the recent change in insider-trading laws. For a golfer who seems to believe that he’s the smartest guy in the room wherever he goes, he made a really dumb move.

Furthermore, for a guy who makes more than $50 million a year in winnings and endorsements, why would he risk his neck for a profit that falls short of what he’d make for filming a single commercial? What kind of decisions has he been making?

My theory just gathers momentum. It’s the adreneline rush of risk, of saying or doing the wrong thing or something contentious, and getting into a bit of bother, and the subsequent limelight, that motivates him. It’s why he plays his golf all over the golf course,the get out of that then situations that he likes. It’s just the latest in the long saga of Mickelson’s attention seeking dramas. Positive or negative, he just wants people to notice him. The latest in the string of pearls, the next installment will be at the US Open and then when he becomes Ryder Cup captain.

It’s becoming a soap opera.

So the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers have voted and the answer is no. By a technicality that is. And as women will still not be allowed to become members the Royal and Ancient have responded by removing the club from the Championship rota. Muirfield has hosted The Open 16 times, the last time in 2013.

This is probably why the members at this year’s Open venue, Royal Troon, have been endlessly stalling for time on their vote. If they had voted no then a hasty retreat to another venue could well have been on the cards. As it is, they will delay their vote until after the Championship in July.

We are told that the majority of members at Muirfield did vote to allow women to become members but that wasn’t enough to reach a majority. Surely the strength of support within the members should lead to a change in policy and prevent further damage. But Club Captain Henry Fairweather said “the members have voted after a thorough process and we must respect that. It is what it is”.

Well yes, it is what it is in their world. Apparently a letter has been circulating amongst the members called “The Risks”. It says “allowing lady members is going to create difficulties. It will take a very special lady to do all the things that are expected of them and the ladies membership as a whole may not meet this standard…”

Peter Alliss has waded into the controversy and supports the members. He says the thing is that wives of members play at Muirfield free of charge and they’re not going to relinquish that”. He then criticised the Royal and Ancient for their decision depriving the rota of the best course on which the championship is played. A member was apparently heard saying “the clubhouse is full of bloody women. They love getting in for nothing”.

Extraordinary.

But this is only the wives of members. The course can be played by guests or visitors and it is not illegal for a private club to make such rules. However, there is a rising tide of opinion that it should be made illegal and there is anger amongst the wider community that this has happened. Female golfers at neighbouring club have said that it is a terrible degredation of women as people in 2016 to think in the way they do.They said it can only damage the reputation of the club.

First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon MSP called the decision “indefensible”. she said “This is 2016. Women are leaders in every profession, every walk of life. The decision is wrong and damaging”.

British Prime Minister Rt Hon David Cameron MP said that “in 2016  sports clubs should be totally open to both sexes, particularly if hosting important championships”.

It is good to see the Royal and Ancient acting so quickly and decisively and refusing to support single sex clubs. Just unfortunate that Royal Troon have been playing them and keeping the Championship as a single sex club, while delaying their vote until later. Not fair that we should possibly lose two great courses from the rota in one year but the principle of this is too important and tough action is long overdue.

Loving the dinosaur in the picture roaring at Mickelson who is running – slowly – away from him.

For those of you who have a visit to Augusta National on your bucket list, the lottery to buy tickets for practice, Par 3 contest and championship days for the 2017 Masters Tournament is still open. Visit Masters.com and apply by June 25 2016.

Womens World Number 1 player Lydia Ko was present at the Opening and Closing ceremonies of the Invictus Games in Orlando, Florida last week to meet the athletes. She is pictured here with the Games Organiser Prince Harry.

She said “it is an honour to support these games and a humbling reminder that I am so fortunate to play golf for a living. Every moment was inspiring and special. I AM inspired, honoured, humbled and thankful. Thank you very much to all the men and women for your service, sacrifice and courage”.

Whilst insisting that they have done nothing wrong, the Irish Times investigative journalists have found out that three golfers are named in the so called Panama papers.

Padraig Harrington, Retief Goosen and Ian Woosnam were all named in leaked documents from the Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonesca which set up hidden offshore investment accounts.

It was sad to hear of the passing of the great Irish golfer Christy O’Connor, at the age of 91, just a few months after we lost his nephew Christy O’Connor Jnr in January.

‘Himself’, as he was affectionately known, had the most beautiful, powerful swing that was not only technically sound but looked so natural. Have a look at it on this lovely tribute film.

Christy O’Connor had a glittering career and was runner up to the dominant Peter Thomson in the 1965 Open Championship. He won 24 tournaments in Europe partnered Open Champion Harry Bradshaw to a win in the 1958 Canada Cup (which became the World Cup) and 6 PGA Senior titles.

He made 10 Ryder Cup appearances and was often partnered by Peter Alliss.

Peter says “He wad a wonderful partner and a beautiful golfer a genius of our sport”.

On Monday Tiger Woods teed up at a press day at Congressional Country Club and probably wishes he hadn’t.

The 14 time major champion turned up to the event prior to the Quicken Loans tournament without practicing or warming up and on the 102 yard par three hole he hit three successive wedge shots into the surrounding water.

He couldn’t have done this in a worse situation. It not only got him a crush of negative social media comments he also got on the front page of national newspaper USA Today.

Tiger said his back was stiff. “It just goes to prove that you can’t just go out there and “just do it”, a nod to Nike.

It’s a long long way from his old media campaign “I am Tiger Woods”. The rehabillitation from his third back surgery is taking  so long people are now deducing that he may never return to competitive play.

Tiger says that one of the toughest parts of being away so long is that he feels alienated from the rest of the tour. “When I look at our fields there’s maybe a third of them I don’t know”.

It’s time for a return, the offer has been put onto the table. He’s helping Rickie Fowler really progress, but Butch Harmon is the one to take over Tiger. Let’s hope they just do it.

World number 1 Jason Day’s huge  win at the Players Championship last weekend sees him draw further ahead of his peers. 7 wins from the last 17 starts and three wire to wire victories since September are giving him massive confidence backing up his own lofty ambitions.

His first two rounds of 63 and 66 at TPC Sawgrass are a 36 hole tournament record and he left rival Jordan Spieth, who missed the cut, trailing in his wake. Spieth looked a shadow of the player who had dominated the golf world in 2015. His collapse at this year’s Masters has obviously taken its mental toll but he also took to social media to dig at people who were pilloring  him about losing. Posting a baby picture of himself wearing sunglasses he said “I need to get some more of these to protect me from the haters”.

Jason Day’s phenomenal length with the driver and probably the best short game on tour were tested on Sunday when for the front nine he looked vulnerable. The testing putting surfaces, which were hard and bumpy culminated in a poor bogey on the 9th hole. But such is his desire and mental strength he pulled it together on the back nine to pull off a four shot win.

He is one of the hardest workers on tour and looks incredibly drained at the end of a tournament he invests so much of himself in every shot. This worries me a bit because he could physically and mentally burn out. He is only 28 and in his physical prime but his intensity may wear him out.

Jason talked, after this win, that he wanted to win The Players Championship so badly because one day it might be enough to help get him into the World Golf Hall of Fame. “I wanted to win this tournament so bad and go down in history. Ten wins isn’t enough. I want to leave a legacy and I want to be look backed on as one of the greats of the game”.

Big ambitions. At the moment he’s having a dominant run as Rory McIlroy did in 2014 and Jordan Spieth did in 2015. Adam Scott says he looks Tigeresque, as when Tiger won 50% of the tournaments he entered in a five year stretch. But whether Day can sustain to Tiger’s level remains to be seen. It’s interesting that Tiger Woods is mentoring Jason Day and offering him great advice. Day says of their relationship “he says when he comes back he’s going to kick my butt”. Interestingly he commented on this with caution. “IF he comes back AND he’s turned into Tiger Woods again, then I’ve got to watch my behind”.

Until then Jason Day is this year invincible. And he can say to the field what the great Walter Hagen used to say to his contemporaries.

“Who’s going to come second?”

The Royal and Ancient are introducing a new nine hole event to be played just before the start of the Open Championship. Thirty amateur players from 13 qualifying competitions across Scotland will play nine holes of the championship course. The idea is to boost participation and to encourage the nine hole format as a valid form of play. The competiton will be open to men and women, boys and girls and in 2017 will expand to include clubs from all over Great Britain and Ireland vying for the 30 places. Three time major champion Padraig Harrington said that it is a wonderful opportunity for regional amateur golfers to play the championship course in top condition before the best golfers in the world compete and to reinforce the message that nine hole golf is a popular alternative for those with busy lives.

World number one tennis doubles star Jamie Murray returned to his home town of Dunblane, Scotland to receive honorary memberships of Dunblane GC for him and his brother Andy, the two time Wimbledon, US Open and Olympic singles tennis champion. The 18th hole is now called Murrays hame.