Augusta chairman: Phil Mickelson was invited but pulled out

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- Augusta National Golf Club chairman Fred Ridley said that three-time Masters champion Phil Mickelson pulled out of this year's tournament and was eligible to compete if he wanted to.

Mickelson notified Ridley, via text message, in late February or early March that he wouldn't be playing in this week's Masters.

"I would like to say we did not disinvite Phil," Ridley said during a news conference on Wednesday. "Phil is a three-time Masters champion and is invited in that category and many other categories; he's the defending PGA champion.

"Phil reached out to me ... and let me know that he did not intend to play. That was by way of a text, and I thanked him for his courtesy in…