Following a golf tournament in Pebble Beach, California in 2013, Phil Mickelson was on a conference call. He complained what had “gone on the last few months politically” provoked him to “have to make some changes.”
Mickelson was referring to California Proposition 30 which passed the previous November and increased state taxes on incomes greater than $1 million—up to 13.3 percent from 10.3 percent.
He was widely ridiculed for suggesting he would avoid state taxes by moving out of California to a more income-friendly state such as Florida or Texas.
Shortly afterward, Mickelson confessed: “I’ve made some dumb, dumb mistakes, and talking about [taxes] was one of them.”
Mickelson recently stepped into it again—this time the pile is much deeper.
For his book, “Phil: The Rip-Roaring (and Unauthorized!) Biography of Golf’s Most Colorful Superstar,” sportswriter Alan Shipnuck interviewed Mickelson in November 2021. Shipnuck asked Mickelson about his involvement with a PGA rival, the Saudi Arabia-backed Super Golf League.
Mickelson’s responses included some jarring comments.
“They’re scary motherf—ers to get involved with.”
“We know they killed [Washington Post reporter and U.S. resident Jamal] Khashoggi and have a horrible record on human rights. They execute people over there for being gay.”
“Knowing all of this, why would I even consider it? Because this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reshape how the PGA Tour operates.”
Fellow PGA tournament players sharply criticized Mickelson for his comments.
Rory McIlroy spared the syrup: “I don’t want to kick someone while he’s down obviously, but I thought [Mickelson’s comments] were naive, selfish, egotistical, ignorant.”
“He might need to make some retributions, there’s no doubt about that. He might have to eat a bit of humble pie,” said Irish golfer, Padraig Harrington.
Golf legend, Jack Nicklaus, recommended Mickelson “Zip the lip.”
Mickelson tweeted a wordy apology which golf analyst, Brandel Chamblee lacerated:
“The 1st paragraph sets the stage for him being a victim, the 2nd paragraph is him pretending to be an activist, the 3rd/4th paragraphs are about spin and damage control/money and the 5th and 6th are him saying he’s a good guy.”
A Statement from Phil Mickelson pic.twitter.com/2saaXIxhpu
— Phil Mickelson (@PhilMickelson) February 22, 2022
Mickelson’s website reads: “Meet the man, golfer, designer, and entrepreneur.”
The sponsorship damage to Mickelson is immense—KMPG, Workday, Heineken/Amstel and Callaway dropped or postponed their financial support for the golfer.
Mickelson’s reluctance to be involved with a company headquartered in a country with “a horrible record on human rights” is a bit baffling because his golf course design business has built golf courses in China, one in Shanghai and a second in Kunming.
51-year-old Mickelson who has won 45 tournaments in his 30-year career says he needs –
“some time away to prioritize the ones I love most and work on being the man I want to be.”
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RWR original article syndication source.
Source: Mickelson May Have Handicapped His Professional Golfing Career Running His Mouth – Again
