AUGUSTA, GA – Phil Mickelson and Rory McIlroy made their own golf history within 30 minutes of each other on Tuesday afternoon by launching a strong advocacy for voting and / or civil rights in the room Augusta National Golf Club press conference when asked about the controversial voter suppression law in Georgia.
“I have to be respectful and fairly careful in what I say because I’m not a citizen of this country,” said McIlroy, who is from Northern Ireland but lives in Florida, in response to a question from USA TODAY Sports , “But I certainly think that all great countries and democracies are built on equal voting rights and that everyone can get to the polls as easily as possible.
He continued, “Look, I’m all for getting people to come out and vote and have a great democracy, and I chose to live in this country because I believe this country is the best country in the world. world. You know America is the land of opportunity, and that’s the American dream. You work hard; you are rewarded. So I believe in all of this.
“But yes, I am all for that people can have the right to vote and be able to do it in the simplest way possible.”
Also responding to a question from USA TODAY Sports, Mickelson began by saying that he “really didn’t know the state laws in the United States and all the laws that we have,” then quickly added, “I’m aware of it. from some of California that we did, and we tend to be the leader in a lot of this area when it comes to human rights, civil rights, diversity, etc., and j ‘m proud of it. And I hope that as a Californian, even though I will be moving soon, we lead by example.
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Mickelson continued, “So I don’t really know the details of everything you talk about, but I believe in the rights and equal treatment of all people, and I hope as a Californian we lead by example.” and that the others will follow suit. “
PGA Champion Collin Morikawa was asked if golf should intervene in Georgia’s law controversy like Major League Baseball did last week when it pulled the All-Star Game from Atlanta. Some have called on the Masters to pull out of Georgia, which will not happen since Augusta National and the Masters are synonymous.
On Saturday, the PGA Tour said it was not moving its season-ending championship from Atlanta, citing its financial commitment to the local community and various charities.
“This voter and voter stuff for American citizens is very important,” Morikawa said Monday. “I think that’s the topic we should all be talking about. We shouldn’t be talking about whether we are here (in Georgia) or not. The Masters, the PGA Tour, we’re doing such a good job and trying to help the communities, and I think that’s our main focus for the week.
“But overall, the topic of voter rights and stuff, that should be the topic we’re talking about.”
On March 25, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp enacted a Republican-sponsored voter suppression bill that includes new restrictions on postal voting, greater GOP legislative control over state election officials and counties and a ban on outside groups giving food or water to people waiting in line to vote.
The bill, which civil rights groups say will limit access to the vote for people of color, is rooted in former President Trump’s notoriously bogus claims that the 2020 election was stolen, both in the country and in Georgia. President Biden won Georgia, while the two U.S. Senate seats held by Republicans were won by Democrats.
Kemp signed the law with six white men by his side and a painting of a former slave plantation behind him.
