Phil Mickelson arrived in London on Tuesday morning having admitted that his gambling reached “reckless” proportions that “embarrass” him, but claiming “hundreds of hours of therapy” have since fixed “the addiction”.
Mickelson has signed up to play in the Saudi rebel circuit, starting this week at the $25 million LIV Golf invitational opener in Hemel Hempstead.
The 51-year-old is estimated to have received $200m up front to appear on the series for at least three years and, inevitably, there has been speculation that the six-time major champion has been in financial difficulty because of his betting habits.
A recent book revealed that Mickelson sustained gambling losses totaling more than $40m (£32.4m) over the four-year period from 2010-14.
This was disclosed as part of Mickelson’s legal fallout from an insider-trading case with Billy Walters, the famous Las Vegas high-roller, in which the golfer was named by the FBI and forced to repay approximately $1m from a shares transaction.
Walters is also due to have a book published soon and further disclosures will follow. But Mickelson told SI.com that is all in the past.
“My gambling got to a point of being reckless and embarrassing. I had to address it,” he said. “I’ve been addressing it for a number of years. And for hundreds of hours of therapy. I feel good where I’m at there. My family and I are and have been financially secure for some time.
“Gambling has been part of my life ever since I can remember. But about a decade ago is when I would say it became reckless. It’s embarrassing. I don’t like that people know.
“The fact is I’ve been dealing with it for some time. Amy [his wife] has been very supportive of it and with me and the process. We’re at place after many years where I feel comfortable with where that is.
“It isn’t a threat to me or my financial security. It was just a number of poor decisions… It’s the anxiety, the other things that come across with gambling off the course and addiction off the course that I really needed to address.’”
Mickelson told biographer Alan Shipnuck three months ago that the Saudis were “scary motherf—–s to deal with” and listed their “horrible human rights record”, including the state-approved murder of Jamal Khashoggi and the execution of “people for being gay”.
But he went on to say he felt able to overcome his personal disgust because LIV offered him “a once in a lifetime opportunity” to gain leverage over the PGA Tour in his long-running dispute over media rights.
Now, however, Mickelson returns to competition, having skipped the Masters and what would have been a historic defence of the US PGA Championship three weeks ago, insisting money is not his prime motivation in joining LIV and competing on their $255m eight-strong circuit (in which each event’s winner will collect $4m with $120,000 going to the player finishing last in the 48-man fields). But a chance “to get balance in my life”.
“I think that the biggest reason is when I would think about LIV Golf I found myself excited and energised to play and work hard and compete again. I think after doing this for 30 years, I’m excited about something new and this different format,” he said in comments that are bound to invite ridicule.
“And at this point in my life, just as importantly, it gives some balance in my life for Amy and I. This motivates me to work hard and compete. But it also gives me time and opportunity to have the balance in my life that I’m looking forward to doing with Amy and that I’ve always wanted to do. I’m excited for the opportunities both on the golf course and off.”
Mickelson intends to resume playing the majors, presumably beginning with the US Open next week in Brookline, dismissing rumours that the USGA will ban the rebels from the Boston layout. “I’m under the understanding that I’m able to play,” he said. Mickelson feels the same about next month’s Open Championship at St Andrews.
Mickelson also maintained he is not about to follow the actions of fellow American Kevin Na, who has already resigned his PGA Tour membership because of promised disciplinary proceedings that Tour commissioner Jay Monahah previously declared could amount to a lifetime ban.
“I have not resigned my membership,” Mickelson said. “I worked really hard to earn that lifetime membership. And I’m hopeful that I’ll have the ability to play wherever I want, where it’s the PGA Tour, LIV or wherever else I want… I also feel it’s important for any player to have the right to play wherever they want.’”
Does that mean Mickelson will be prepared to go to court against the Tour? This is one of the questions he will no doubt be asked when he finally faces the media, probably on Wednesday.
However, by conducting this advance interview with Sports Illustrated in a classic PR move, Mickelson and LIV must be hoping they have taken the heat out of that particular inquisition.