US Open to accept Mickelson and all eligible players

By DOUG FERGUSON
AP Golf Writer

Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson and other players competing in the Saudi-funded rival golf league are free to play the U.S. Open next week. That was always expected but confirmed Tuesday by the USGA. The USGA says if a player earned his way into the the U.S. Open, should that be taken away because he is playing a different league? It felt the answer was no. CEO Mike Whan says more than 9,000 people signed up for the U.S. Open and the USGA is not in the business of policing what they stand for.