MEDINAH, Ill. – Phil Mickelson was allowed back into his hotel room and made it to Medinah Country Club roughly 40 minutes before his 11:52 a.m. ET tee time on Sunday.
Intense storms in the Chicago area that altered Sunday’s start at the BMW Championship threatened to end Mickelson’s 2018-19 season one round early.
Roughly 90 minutes before his tee time, Mickelson tweeted that lightning hit the top floor of his hotel, sparking a fire and leaving him unable to return to his room.
“I can’t get back into my room and may miss my tee times because I am without clubs and clothes,” he wrote.
How’s this for crazy? My hotel was struck by lighting, I was on top floor,we were evacuated and the place is on fire(only thing of mine on fire this week.) I can’t get back into my room and may miss my tee time because I am without clubs and clothes.
— Phil Mickelson (@PhilMickelson) August 18, 2019
Phil’s brother and caddie, Tim Mickelson, told Golf Channel approximately 20 minutes later that Phil had been allowed back in his room and would make his tee time, albeit with an abbreviated warm-up.
Mickelson pulled into his parking spot at Medinah just before 11:15 a.m. ET and emerged from his car wearing flip flops. Like everyone else who’s ever been late for a tee time, Mickelson put on his shoes and socks in the parking lot and then took a handful of swings with a training aid.
Phil shows up 40 minutes before his tee time wearing flip flops and does a quick change in the parking lot. Just like the rest of us. pic.twitter.com/ENGIYBurqD
— Will Gray (@WillGrayGolfbet) August 18, 2019
Mickelson estimated that he was locked out of his room for nearly 90 minutes, and attributed his eventual re-entry and subsequent arrival at Medinah to the power of social media. He then headed off to the practice area. Mickelson, who has become quite active on Twitter as of late, has nearly 418,000 followers.
The Eaglewood Resort and Spa, which sits next door to Medinah and has a dedicated gate to the BMW Championship for its guests, was the building struck by lightning.
*STRUCTURE FIRE* (delayed from apx 8:48AM) [Itasca] | 1401 Nordic Rd- Eaglewood Resort & Spa | Fire on the roof of a 12-story building possibly due to a lightning strike, fire is now out & overhaul complete.
— Chicago Northwest Suburbs Incidents & Alerts (@_CNSIA_) August 18, 2019
(Info from Radioman911)
Wyndham Championship winner J.T. Poston was staying at the same property. He was checking out of the hotel, but found that his car had been boxed in by emergency vehicles. He ended up walking onto Medinah through a spectator gate off the fifth hole, where a rules official picked him up and gave him a ride to the clubhouse.
In need of some fireworks today to make it to East Lake. Hotel getting struck by lightning and evacuating is not what I had in mind 😳
— J.T. Poston (@JT_ThePostman) August 18, 2019
About three minutes before he pulled into his parking spot, Mickelson thanked emergency officials and joked: “Turns out my clubs acted as a fire retardant. Lucky me.”
EMT’s were awesome! I’m going to make it. Turns out my clubs acted as a fire retardant. Lucky me🤗
— Phil Mickelson (@PhilMickelson) August 18, 2019
Mickelson did get burned, however, by Luke Donald, who continued their previous Twitter back-and-forth about greens books.
Stay safe Phil & please tell me your greens book made it out ok? 🙏🏼
— Luke Donald (@LukeDonald) August 18, 2019
Mickelson went off the 10th tee with Brooks Koepka and Dylan Frittelli in the final round. It is unclear when he finally spoke to his mother.
Bro-you can’t tweet this stuff until AFTER you call Mom to tell her you’re ok. 🤦♀️😂 Just spoke with her. Btw....call her. She would like ‘a word.’
— Tina Mickelson (@TinaMickelson) August 18, 2019