Phil Mickelson to Take a Break From Golf After Latest Controversy

ONE thing you can be sure of with Phil Mickelson, on the course or off it, it that there will never be a dull moment.

This is the man who savaged Tom Watson after Europe thrashed the USA in the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles in 2014. He is the golfer who hit the ball while it was still moving after losing his cool at the US Open in 2018. And he is the man who, at almost 51 years of age, became the oldest ever to claim a major when he won the US PGA Championship at Kiawah Island in 2021.

He is also the individual who recently accused the PGA Tour of “obnoxious greed”. Funnily enough, he had never before attacked the Tour but suddenly, with Saudi Arabia promising to pour tens of millions of dollars into the sport amid talk of a Super League, and with Mickelson having reportedly signed on the dotted line, he became Jay Monahan’s biggest critic.

Monahan is, of course, the PGA Tour commissioner and the subject of Mickelson’s ire because the left-hander was furious about how the Tour controlled his image rights. This overlooks the vast sums of prize money Mickelson has collected, along with the even larger fees paid to him by his many sponsors.

But then it emerged that he had told an American journalist that the Saudis were “scary mother******s” with a dreadful human rights record. That would be the same Saudis for whom he was ready to jump ship.

Unsurprisingly, many of his fellow professionals were deeply critical of his remarks and perceived hypocrisy.

All of a sudden, Mickelson’s world came crashing down around his ears. He had already bitten the hand that feeds him and now he was taking chunks out of the hand that wanted to feed him.

He screwed up, and he knew it. 

He has now apologised for his "reckless" comments about Saudi Arabia and says he will be taking a break from golf.

(Image Credit: Kevin Diss Photography)

Mickelson issued a statement in which he said: "Although it doesn't look this way now given my recent comments, my actions throughout this process have always been with the best interest of golf, my peers, sponsors, and fans. There is the problem of off-record comments being shared out of context and without my consent, but the bigger issue is that I used words I sincerely regret that do not reflect my true feelings or intentions. It was reckless, I offended people, and I am deeply sorry for my choice of words. I'm beyond disappointed and will make every effort to self-reflect and learn from this.

"Golf desperately needs change, and real change is always preceded by disruption. I have always known that criticism would come with exploring anything new. I still chose to put myself at the forefront of this to inspire change, taking the hits publicly to do the work behind the scenes.

"My experience with LIV Golf Investments has been very positive. I apologise for anything I said that was taken out of context. The specific people I have worked with are visionaries and have only been supportive. More importantly they passionately love golf and share my drive to make the game better. They have a clear plan to create an updated and positive experience for everyone including players, sponsors, networks, and fans.

"I have incredible partners, and these relationships mean so much more to me than a contract. Many have been my most influential mentors and I consider all to be lifelong friends. The last thing I would ever want to do is compromise them or their business in any way, and I have given all of them the option to pause or end the relationship as I understand it might be necessary given the current circumstances. I believe in these people and companies and will always be here for them with or without a contract.

"I have made a lot of mistakes in my life and many have been shared with the public. My intent was never to hurt anyone and I'm so sorry to the people I have negatively impacted. This has always been about supporting the players and the game and I appreciate all the people who have given me the benefit of the doubt.

"Despite my belief that some changes have already been made within the overall discourse, I know I need to be accountable. For the past 31 years I have lived a very public life and I have strived to live up to my own expectations, be the role model the fans deserve, and be someone that inspires others. I've worked to compete at the highest level, be available to media, represent my sponsors with integrity, engage with volunteers and sign every autograph for my incredible fans. I have experienced many successful and rewarding moments that I will always cherish, but I have often failed myself and others too. The past 10 years I have felt the pressure and stress slowly affecting me at a deeper level. I know I have not been my best and desperately need some time away to prioritize the ones I love most and work on being the man I want to be."

It is safe to say that the Saudis will be withdrawing any offer they have made Mickelson and that when he does return to the game he may well receive a pretty cool response from both his fellow players and the PGA Tour.