A decade ago, Phil Mickelson made ripples among his brethren for suggesting that the PGA Tour was no place for a democracy to take root.
Instead, he espoused the benevolent dictator model, wherein one man is entrusted with the autonomy and authority to mete out punishment, manipulate policy and enforce the rules.
Or, in fact, do nothing at all.
"I don't think players should be involved in the tour," Mickelson told SFGate.com's Ron Kroicheck in 2006. "I think the commissioner should run the tour.”
Now we know why.
Two seasons after two of the sport’s most embarrassing episodes in years came to the attention of PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem, he’s seemingly taken the federal paperwork from the cases and tossed them in a deskside paper shredder.