Phil Mickelson "doesn't owe the game of golf anything" and should be allowed to apologise and move on from his recent comments, Justin Thomas says.
The six-time major winner claimed a proposed Saudi Arabia-backed Super Golf League could give players "leverage" as a "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity" to "reshape how the PGA Tour operates".
The American suggested he and others had paid lawyers to construct the proposed breakaway competition's agreement, despite acknowledging Saudi Arabia has "a horrible record on human rights".
Mickelson later apologised for what he described as "reckless" comments following huge criticism and is now taking a break from the sport.
A Statement from Phil Mickelson pic.twitter.com/2saaXIxhpu
— Phil Mickelson (@PhilMickelson) February 22, 2022
Rory McIlroy insisted last week that the players want to see Mickelson return and that he should be forgiven for his remarks.
Thomas, the former world number one and 2017 US PGA Championship winner, has echoed McIlroy and says he hopes Mickelson is "doing okay".
"I mean, there's plenty of people who are like, 'Look, [Phil Mickelson] said some things that he shouldn't have said'. And everybody does stuff like that," said Thomas.
"He should be able to apologise and move on. I think a lot of people are probably just a little upset with how it's happened or how he went about it.
"But I mean, at the end of the day, he's proven himself in the game of golf. He doesn't owe the game of golf anything. He's done plenty for it and for us. But now I just think it's more of what he wants, you know, if he wants to try to come back and play a certain number of events, or if he wants to try to create his own thing or do whatever he's got to do.
"Nobody knows what's going on inside of Phil's head besides Phil, and I think the last couple of weeks have proven that more than ever.
"Hopefully, he's doing okay. But it definitely was a bit of a shock for all of us with some of the things that he said. I guess he’ll just come back whenever he feels like he's ready."
Thomas is in action at The Players Championship this week, looking to defend the title he won in Florida last year.
