Talks about the potential Saudi golf league appear to be heating up, and the takes are flying. Some have been diplomatic in their opposition to the idea, while others seem to be teetering on the fence at the prospect of joining the upstart tour.
Then there’s Phil Mickelson, who went full scorched-earth on the PGA Tour in a scathing exclusive interview with Golf Digest.
The six-time major winner listed several grievances he has with the tour where he’s played for the last three-plus decades, but the quote that’s dominating headlines took his complaints to the next level.
“For me personally, it’s not enough that they are sitting on hundreds of millions of digital moments. They also have access to my shots, access I do not have. They also charge companies to use shots I have hit,” he said. “That type of greed is, to me, beyond obnoxious.”
Mickelson has never been one to mince words, but in the context of a “gentleman’s game” like golf, this is as defiant as it gets.
Golf Digest posted a graphic on Instagram shortly after the story was released quoting Mickelson’s headline-worthy bite, and Brooks Koepka used the comment section to fire back at Lefty for his remarks.
“[I don’t know] if I’d be using the word greedy if I’m Phil …” Koepka’s comment read.
Koepka has never been one to shy away from confrontation on social media, and this is a prime example.
For context, Mickelson, 51, has earned over $95M on course during his Tour career. And according to Forbes, Mickelson’s career money earned from sponsorships and other off-course endeavors to be around $750 million.
“There are many issues, but that is one of the biggest,” Mickelson told Golf Digest. “When I did ‘The Match’ — there have been five of them — the Tour forced me to pay them $1 million each time. For my own media rights.”
