Phil Mickelson Praises Daniel Penny For Protecting Passengers After Manslaughter Dismissal

Daniel Penny scored a big win in court on Friday, and while he's not entirely out of the woods just yet, the New Yorker is getting support from one of the greatest golfers of all time.

"Thank you Daniel for serving your country and for protecting the many passengers whose lives were threatened by this violent and deranged individual," 6-time Majors winner Phil Mickelson wrote on X.

The golf legend also shared a post from a conservative commentator ... describing Daniel as a "model citizen who should be praised by the city of New York."

Mickelson is just one of many people, including celebs, who have come to Penny's defense.

Of course, 24-year-old Penny, a U.S. Marine veteran, was arrested and charged with manslaughter for the May 1, 2023 killing of a 30-year-old homeless man named Jordan Neely.

Neely, according to witnesses, was acting erratically aboard a NYC subway, and even allegedly yelled, "Someone's going to die today!"

Penny put Neely in a chokehold ... and the man later died.

The case has received a huge amount of national attention ... with many people outraged the D.A. in New York City moved to charge the former U.S. military member while he was allegedly protecting the public.

A jury in Manhattan was not able to reach a verdict on the most serious charge DP was facing ... manslaughter, which carries a potential prison sentence of 15 years.

After days of unsuccessful deliberation, the judge opted to dismiss the charge.

Now, the jury will have to decide whether Daniel is guilty of a lesser charge, negligent homicide, which could put him behind bars for 4 years.