The hits keep coming for Phil Mickelson.
In this week’s Subpar podcast of Golf magazine, Pat Perez unloaded his fellow professional from the tour to participate in the Saudi-backed Super Golf League. He also swung against Mickelson’s apology, which was issued after Mickelson managed to slander two organizations – the PGA Tour and the repressive regime in Saudi Arabia – in an interview.
“His apology was so stupid because he thought he was trying to make things better for the players. Perez told hosts Colt Knost, a former player on the tour, and Drew Stolz. “He was in it for one reason. If someone thinks that he was not in it for his own pocket and only for his own pocket, it is very big. They are crazy.
“It simply came to our notice then. Why he went two different paths and essentially buried himself in both, I can’t understand.
The 51-year-old Mickelson, a six-time big winner and a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame, found himself in hot water after recent comments to author Alan Shipnook, whose unauthorized biography of Mickelson came out in May. “
“They’re scary, motherfucker,” Mickelson told the writer. “We know they killed [Washington Post columnist and U.S. resident Jamal] Kashogi and have a terrible experience in human rights. They execute people there for being gay.
Pat Perez punched Phil Mickelson for apologizing. Getty Images (2)
“Knowing all this, why even think about it? Because this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to change the way the PGA Tour works. They managed to cope with the manipulative, coercive tactics with strong hands, because we, the players, had no recourse. Such a nice person [PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan] it looks like unless you have a lever, it will not do what is right.
“And Saudi money finally gave us that lever.”
Mickelson also told Golf Digest last month that the “greed” of the PGA Tour was “beyond disgusting” and likened the organization to a “dictatorship.”
The downfall was fast. Sponsors KPMG, Amstel Light and Workday have severed ties with Mickelson. His longtime equipment sponsor, Callaway, meanwhile, said he was pausing his relationship with the star.
Last week, Mickelson, the most notable Super Golf player, is trying to attract PGA Tour players by offering huge sums of money, he said in a statement on social media, apologizing for his remarks. He also claims that the comments were not recorded, an accusation that Shipnuk said was not true.
“I used words that I sincerely regret,” Mickelson wrote. “It was reckless, I insulted people and I deeply regret my choice of words.”
Rory McIlroy was also critical of Mickelson, although he softened his stance on Wednesday, saying Mickelson deserved another chance.