DON’T NIGGLE MICKELSON WITH LITTLE THINGS LIKE RULES: The DALLAS MORNING NEWS reports that PGA Tour rules stipulate if you miss a Pro-AM the week of a PGA event, you are automatically disqualified.

Unless, of course, you’re Phil Mickelson.

The DMN reports that despite missing the EDS Byron Nelson Pro-AM Wednesday, PGA Tour officials folded and allowed Mickelson to tee off for the main event on Thursday.

The Morning News also dutifully notes, “In 2004, David Frost didn’t read the pro-am pairings correctly and missed his round in the Nelson Gold pro-am. He was disqualified. In 2005, Retief Goosen was disqualified after oversleeping and missing his pro-am in the Nissan Open.”

Mickelson claimed to the media that he tried to make the Wednesday event, but weather forced his tiny private plane to be diverted from Dallas - and he ended up staying the night in Little Rock, AR (where he enjoyed a televangelist basic cable bonanza in his motel, no doubt).