Phil Mickelson will assist President Donald Trump's company with his newest golf course in Bali. The course will be Trump's 19th worldwide, and one of a handful of current or former Mickelson redesigns.
The Bali course will close at the end of July for redesign, according to Golf Channel.
MNC Land, a developer in Indonesia, announced Thursday that it has tabbed Mickelson's eponymous design team to head the overhaul of the layout formerly known as Nirwana Golf Course, which borders the Indian Ocean.
"I've been fortunate to work on some great projects, but to contribute to what will be a six-star property is a rare and fabulous opportunity," Mickelson said in a release. "The site is breathtaking and we will create a golf experience that presents both exciting options for players on the course and memories for a lifetime."
It's going to be fascinating to watch as the post-playing careers of Mickelson and Tiger Woods unfold. Both are uber-competitive, and both are now getting into the design game. I'm curious about how we'll look back on that 20 or 50 years from now.
"Phil Mickelson's track record as a professional golfer speaks for itself and we are thrilled to have his vision and talent for our latest development in such a beautiful location," said Eric Trump, executive vice president of the Trump Organization in a release.
President Trump's course offerings include Turnberry in Scotland, which hopes to have a future Open Championship, Doral in Florida, which used to have a PGA Tour event and Bedminster in New Jersey, which will host the U.S. Women's Open later this summer.
Mickelson has acknowledged the complicated relationship Trump has with golf in the past.
"I think we were all disappointed to hear his comments," Mickelson said a few years ago about Trump's disparaging comments about immigrants. "Yet it doesn't take away from all that he's done to try to help better golf and take these properties such as the revamped Doral and turn them around and make them prosperous.
"It puts everybody in an awkward situation because we don't agree with those comments but yet we are appreciative of what he's done to help promote the game of golf and that puts everybody in a tough spot."
