The six-time major winner has lost sponsors after comments relating to Saudi Arabia's involvement in a proposed golf league that would rival the PGA.
Phil Mickelson said he needed "extremely" some time away from professional golf after reacting to comments made about Saudi Arabia's participation in a proposed golf league to rival the PGA Tour.
The six-time Majors champion and current PGA Championship winner tweeted Tuesday a lengthy apology to golf journalist Alan Shipnk, who authored an upcoming biography on Mickelson, for his scathing comments about a new golf tour backed by Saudi Arabia. Asked.
A Statement from Phil Mickelson pic.twitter.com/2saaXIxhpu
— Phil Mickelson (@PhilMickelson) February 22, 2022
Mickelson, 51, commented about considering joining the Saudi-backed Super Golf League in an excerpt from a biography shared by Shipnack on The Fire Pit Collective.
Mickelson said of Saudi Arabia, "They're scary motherfs------ to be involved with." “We know they killed [Washington Post reporter and US resident Jamal] Khashoggi and have a terrible record on human rights. They kill people there because they are gay. Knowing all this, I still ponder over it. Why do
"Since this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reshape the way the PGA Tour operates. They've been able to get by with manipulative, coercive, strong-arm tactics because we, the players, have no The recourse was not. Well [PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan] comes across as a guy, unless you have leverage, he won't do what's right. And Saudi money has finally given us that advantage . I'm not sure I even need [SGL] to be successful, but just the idea of it is allowing us to work with the [PGA] Tour."
Mickelson said in his statement on Tuesday that his remarks were "off-the-record comments being shared out of context" and without his consent. Shipnk responded by tweeting that Mickelson said the comments were off the record "completely false."
The golfer also apologized for his comments.
He wrote, "I used words that I am absolutely sorry for 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 am beyond disappointed and will do everything possible to self-reflect and learn from it."
Shipnk tweeted that Mickelson "made himself both a victim and a hero of his press release."
"I didn't have to print his on-the-record comments, yet I still chose to put myself at the forefront of inspiring change, working the hit publicly behind the scenes," says Phil. Took for.' Oh-k," said Shipunk.
While regretting his comments about Saudi Arabia, Mickelson also showed support for LIV Investments, a Saudi-funded golf investment group led by golf legend Greg Norman that is working to create rival golf leagues. Used to be.
"My experience with LIV Golf Investments has been very positive," he wrote. "I apologize for anything I said that was taken out of context."
Mickelson, who earned nearly $100 million in career earnings, also doubled down on his criticism of the PGA.
"Golf is in dire need of change, and real change always precedes disruption," he wrote. "I've always known that criticism comes with exploring anything new. I still chose to put myself at the forefront of inspiring change, taking the hit publicly to work behind the scenes."
His comments cost him long-time sponsor KPMG, a professional services firm that said it "mutually agreed to terminate our sponsorship effective immediately."
Other top players also distanced themselves from Mickelson's comments.
"I don't want to kick someone while he's clearly down, but I thought they were naive, selfish, Arrogant, ignorant." in California.
McIlroy also called the proposed Saudi-backed tour "dead in the water" after he and other top players such as Dustin Johnson and Bryson DeChambeau reiterated their commitment to the PGA Tour.
Golf Channel analyst Brandel Chamble called Mickelson's statement "damage control" in a Golf Channel interview.
"The statement was six paragraphs," Chambly said. "The first paragraph was about him pretending to be a victim. The second paragraph was about him pretending to be a worker. The third and fourth paragraphs were spin, about him being paid damage control or Or certainly in the future when you consider him to have written the Saudi operating agreement for this tour."