Golf: Phil Mickelson will deal w/ Saudis to pressure PGA "They killed & have a horrible record on human rights" UPDATE! PGA/LIV MERGE!

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Mickelson: Will deal with Saudis to pressure tour

Phil Mickelson is willing to deal with Saudi Arabia to put pressure on the PGA Tour, according to a new book.
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Phil Mickelson will deal with Saudis to pressure PGA Tour

  • Mark SchlabachESPN Senior Writer


  • Even though the Saudi Arabian government has been accused of myriad human rights violations by watchdog groups around the world, Phil Mickelson says he is willing to get involved with a Saudi-financed breakaway golf league to have leverage with the PGA Tour.
"They're scary motherf---ers to get involved with," Mickelson told author Alan Shipnuck, who posted an excerpt of his upcoming book, "Phil: The Rip-Roaring (and Unauthorized!) Biography of Golf's Most Colorful Superstar," on the Fire Pit Collective website Thursday.



"... They killed [Washington Post reporter and U.S. resident Jamal] Khashoggi and have a horrible record on human rights," Mickelson continued, in an interview that Shipnuck said took place in November. "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."

Mickelson, 51, is one of the most high-profile PGA Tour players linked to the new circuit that will purportedly be funded by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, the nation's sovereign wealth fund, which has an estimated worth of $500 billion.
"I know 20 guys who want to do this," Mickelson told Shipnuck of the proposed Super Golf League, "and if the Tour doesn't do the right thing, there is a high likelihood it's going to happen."
On Wednesday night, Shipnuck tweeted that organizers of the Saudi-backed league, which will be part of the Asian Tour, had commitments from 20 players and would publicly announce its plan next month during the week of the Players Championship, the PGA Tour's flagship event. The new league is being fronted by Greg Norman.
A PGA Tour spokesperson said the tour would have no comment about Mickelson's remarks. A representative of Mickelson's management team didn't reply to an email requesting comment.
Justin Thomas, the No. 8 ranked player in the world, didn't seem surprised by Mickelson's latest comments.
"Seems like a bit of a pretty, you know, egotistical statement," Thomas said. "I don't know, it's like he's done a lot of great things for the PGA Tour, it's a big reason it is where it is, but him and others that are very adamant about that [the SGL], if they're that passionate, go ahead. I don't think anybody's stopping them."
When asked if it was time for the players who have flirted with the potential Saudi-back tour to stay or go, Thomas said, "I'm way past that. I've heard way too much talk about a lot of players that are so done with everything, but they keep hanging around, so clearly they're not too done."
Jason Kokrak, a three-time winner on the PGA Tour, acknowledged Thursday that he's been talking with the breakaway circuit. Kokrak said he wants to make as much money as possible as fast as he can, so he can retire eight years from now when he's 44.
A PGA Tour player told ESPN on Wednesday that the new circuit would include approximately 14 events in Asia, Europe, the Middle East and the U.S. It might involve some team format with 40-player fields, no cuts and $20 million purses. Mickelson might be joined by Dustin Johnson and Bryson DeChambeau, the player said.
Mickelson, who last year became the oldest major champion by winning the PGA Championship at Kiawah Island at age 50, earlier this month played in the Saudi International.

"[The PGA Tour has] been able to get by with manipulative, coercive, strong-arm tactics because we, the players, had no recourse," Mickelson told Shipnuck. "As nice a guy as [PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan] comes across as, unless you have leverage, he won't do what's right. And the Saudi money has finally given us that leverage. I'm not sure I even want [the SGL] to succeed, but just the idea of it is allowing us to get things done with the [PGA] Tour."
Shipnuck reported that Mickelson told him he had enlisted three other players -- whom he declined to identify -- to help him have lawyers write the Super Golf League's operating agreement.
Over the past several weeks, Mickelson has fumed about the PGA Tour's "obnoxious greed" and its control of players' media rights. He said players are unable to profit from NFTs of their on-course moments. In an internal PGA Tour memo that was leaked in December, the tour announced it was launching a video-based NFT platform, which it said would be a "new incremental revenue opportunity for players."
"We played those shots, we created those moments, we should be the ones to profit," Mickelson told Shipnuck. "The Tour doesn't need that money. They are already sitting on an $800 million cash stockpile. How do you think they're funding the PIP [Player Impact Program]? Or investing $200 million in the European Tour? The Tour is supposed to be a nonprofit that distributes money to charity.

"How the f--- is it legal for them to have that much cash on hand? The answer is, it's not. But they always want more and more. They have to control everything. Their ego won't allow them to make the concessions they need to."
Shipnuck reported that Mickelson also wanted the PGA Tour to change the way it governs its players.
"The Tour likes to pretend it's a democracy, but it's really a dictatorship," Mickelson told Shipnuck. "They divide and conquer. The concerns of the top players are very different from the guys who are lower down on the money list, but there's a lot more of them. They use the top guys to make their own situation better, but the top guys don't have a say."

Monahan has told PGA Tour players that anyone who leaves to play in the SGL would be immediately suspended and possibly permanently banned from returning.

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Damn. Phil just let the world know he don't give one single fuck. :smh:

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golfweek.usatoday.com

Author Alan Shipnuck fires back at Phil Mickelson, says claims comments were off the record are false

Alan Shipnuck recently reported the explosive comments Phil Mickelson made about the PGA Tour and the Saudi Arabia-backed, Greg Norman-led Super Golf League that would be a direct rival of the PGA Tour. In a statement released Tuesday by Mickelson, he called his commen
golfweek.usatoday.com

Author Alan Shipnuck fires back at Phil Mickelson, says claims comments were off the record are false
Steve DiMeglio
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February 22, 2022 6:09 pm ET


Alan Shipnuck recently reported the explosive comments Phil Mickelson made about the PGA Tour and the Saudi Arabia-backed, Greg Norman-led Super Golf League that would be a direct rival of the PGA Tour.


In a statement released Tuesday by Mickelson, he called his comments “reckless,” apologized, said he had made mistakes and needed to be held accountable.
Mickelson also said his November interview with Shipnuck was off the record.
Shipnuck fired back. The writer for the Fire Pit Collective and author of the soon-to-be-released “Phil: The Rip-Roaring (and Unauthorized!) Biography of Golf’s Most Colorful Superstar,” stands by the excerpt from his book about Mickelson saying he was one of the architects behind the proposed Saudi Arabia league and despite the country’s oppressive regime, he hoped to use the league that is guaranteeing exorbitant amounts of money as leverage against the PGA Tour.
“He sent me a text on the morning the excerpt dropped. He was less than thrilled,” Shipnuck wrote in a column on the Fire Pit Collective. “Just as in the statement he released on Tuesday afternoon, Mickelson made a half-hearted attempt at revisionist history, trying to say our talk had been a private conversation, but I shut that down real quick.
“He knew I was working on a book about him and asked to speak, saying he wanted to discuss media rights and his grievances with the PGA Tour, both of which inevitably lead back to Saudi Arabia. If the subject of a biography phones the author, the content of that conversation is always going to inform the book, unless it is expressly agreed otherwise.”
There was no agreement, Shipnuck said.
“Not once in our texts or when we got on the phone did Mickelson request to go off-the-record and I never consented to it; if he had asked, I would have pushed back hard, as this was obviously material I wanted for the book,” Shipnuck wrote. “Mickelson simply called me up and opened a vein. To claim now that the comments were off-the-record is false and duplicitous.”
 
Phil Mickelson’s latest claims shot down by author Alan Shipnuck


PGA Tour star Phil Mickelson has been facing a wave of backlash regarding recent controversial comments he made about the Saudi Super Golf League to Alan Shipnuck during an interview ahead of a biography the author is writing. After Shipnuck leaked a highly-controversial excerpt of his book, Mickelson has since attempted to clear the air, suggesting that the author used his quotes out of context and that his words were meant to remain off the record. The author caught wind of Mickelson’s comment and took to social media to share his side of things. In a Q&A via the Fire Pit Collective, Shipnuck answered a question about the nature of the excerpt.




When asked about his conversation with Mickelson, Shipnuck had a lot to say, including vehemently denying that their talk was held off the record.
“He sent me a text on the morning the excerpt dropped. He was less than thrilled. Just as in the statement he released on Tuesday afternoon, Mickelson made a half-hearted attempt at revisionist history, trying to say ours had been a private conversation, but I shut that down real quick. He knew I was working on a book about him and asked to speak, saying he wanted to discuss media rights and his grievances with the [PGA] Tour, both of which inevitably lead back to Saudi Arabia. If the subject of a biography phones the author, the content of that conversation is always going to inform the book, unless it is expressly agreed otherwise. Not once in our texts or when we got on the phone did Mickelson request to go off-the-record and I never consented to it; if he had asked, I would have pushed back hard, as this was obviously material I wanted for the book. Mickelson simply called me up and opened a vein. To claim now that the comments were off-the-record is false and duplicitous.”
Click to expand...
Shipnuck maintains his stance that his conversation with the PGA veteran was not off the record, insisting that he would have pushed back had Mickelson requested that. Shipnuck claims Mickelson knew he was writing the biography and wanted to get his own word in, suggesting that it wouldn’t make sense for their conversations to be off the record with the golfer knowing he was being interviewed for a biography.

After Shipnuck’s excerpt was released, Mickelson’s comments on Saudi Arabia and the Saudi Super Golf League went viral, with the 59-year-old facing a ton of backlash from fans, media members, and fellow PGA Tour members alike. Despite Lefty’s claims that his conversation was meant to be off the record, Shipnuck was quick to insist that is a fabrication.
 



Phil Mickelson tweeted an apology on Tuesday in which he said he was sorry for recent comments he made about the PGA Tour and organizers of a Saudi-financed breakaway league.
"Although it doesn't look this way now given my recent comments, my actions throughout this process have always been with the best interests of golf, my peers, sponsors and fans," Mickelson wrote. "There is the problem of off-the-record comments being shared out of context and without my consent, but the bigger issue is that I used words that 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'm beyond disappointed and will make every effort to self-reflect and learn from this."
Mickelson, 51, caused an uproar last week when author Alan Shipnuck released an excerpt from his upcoming unauthorized biography of the six-time major champion. In the excerpt published on the Fire Pit Collective website, Mickelson described the Saudis as "scary" but said he was looking past their controversial history of human rights violations to gain leverage with the PGA Tour.

Mickelson indicated he would be taking time away from the tour. He has skipped the past four events.
"The past 10 years I have felt the pressure and stress slowly affecting me at a deeper level," he wrote. "I know I have not been my best and desperately need some time away to prioritize the ones I love most and work on being the man I want to be."
On the Fire Pit Collective podcast, Shipnuck said Mickelson reached out to him to discuss the PGA Tour and other issues in November. Shipnuck said Mickelson never said their discussion was off the record or for background purposes only, and knew it would be used in his book.
The Super Golf League is being financed by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund and fronted by Greg Norman. It was attempting to poach many of the PGA Tour's best players, but many have pledged their intention to stick with the tour.
"My experience with LIV Golf Investments has been very positive," Mickelson wrote. "I apologize for anything I said that was taken out context. The specific people I have worked with are visionaries and have only been supportive. More importantly they love golf and share my drive to make the game better."
Mickelson has been leading the charge for the proposed splinter league, which intended to start play this summer, including 10 tournaments in the U.S.

"Golf desperately needs change, and real change is always preceded by disruption," Mickelson wrote. "I have always known that criticism would come with exploring anything new. I still chose to put myself at the forefront of this to inspire change, taking the hits publicly to do work behind the scenes."
Mickelson, who became the oldest major champion in history when he won the 2021 PGA Championship at age 50, has been heavily criticized by PGA Tour players, including Rory McIlroy and Justin Thomas.
"I don't want to kick someone while he's down obviously, but I thought [Mickelson's comments] were naive, selfish, egotistical, ignorant," McIlroy said. "A lot of words to describe that interaction he had with Shipnuck. It was just very surprising and disappointing. Sad. I'm sure he's sitting at home sort of rethinking his position and where he goes from here."
Mickelson said he has given his sponsors, which include Callaway and Amstel Light, the opportunity to pause their relationships with him. KPMG became the first to announce an end to its partnership with Mickelson, a decision the company said was mutual. "We wish him the best," KPMG said in an email to The Associated Press.
"I have made a lot of mistakes in my life and many have been shared with the public," Mickelson wrote. "My intent was never to hurt anyone and I'm sorry to the people I have negatively impacted. This has always been about supporting the players and I appreciate all the people who have given me the benefit of doubt."
 
www.golfdigest.com

Callaway, Workday join other companies in distancing themselves from Phil Mickelson

Phil Mickelson lost more sponsors on Friday as Callaway confirmed it is pausing its relationship with the six-time major champion
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Callaway, Workday join other companies in distancing themselves from Phil Mickelson

By Joel Beall
February 25, 2022

Sam Greenwood

Callaway and Workday have joined the list of sponsors who are distancing themselves from Phil Mickelson after his controversial statements and involvement with a prospective Saudi-backed golf league.
"Callaway does not condone Phil Mickelson’s comments and we were very disappointed in his choice of words—they in no way reflect Callaway’s values or what we stand for as a company," a company spokesperson told Golf Digest Friday evening.

"Phil has since apologized and we know he regrets how he handled recent events. We recognize his desire to take some time away from the game and respect that decision. At this time, we have agreed to pause our partnership and will re-evaluate our ongoing relationship at a later date."
RELATED: Phil Mickelson can survive his latest controversy, crisis management experts say. Here's how



Golf Channel was the first to report Callaway's decision.
Earlier on Friday, Workday told Golf Digest that it had decided to drop Mickelson from its list of ambassadors.
"At this time, Workday and Phil Mickelson have mutually and amicably agreed to not renew our brand sponsorship that ends this March," a Workday spokesperson told Golf Digest on Friday. "We want to thank Phil for his great contributions as a Workday ambassador, both on and off the course. And we continue to wish him and his family all the best."
Mickelson had been a representative for Workday since April 2017 and he re-upped with Callaway, his club sponsor since 2004, in 2017, with the company saying he would represent it for "the remainder of his competitive playing career."
Workday and Callaway joined KPMG and Heineken/Amstel in dropping Mickelson, 51, after he released a statement Tuesday afternoon acknowledging the comments he made in a November interview to golf writer Alan Shipnuck were “reckless.” Mickelson said he would be taking “some time away to prioritize the ones I love most and work on being the man I want to be.” Mickelson, in his words, also said he gave his partners “the option to pause or end the relationship as I understand it might be necessary given the current circumstances.”
Shortly following his statement Tuesday, KPMG—one of Mickelson’s primary and longtime financial backers—announced it ended its relationship with the six-time major winner.
“KPMG U.S. and Phil Mickelson have mutually agreed to end our sponsorship effective immediately. We wish him the best,” read a statement from a company spokesperson. “KPMG continues to sponsor brand ambassadors on the PGA Tour and LPGA Tour and is the title sponsor of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, a major on the LPGA Tour.”

On Wednesday, a spokesperson for Heineken, the parent company of Amstel, said the beer giant had let Mickelson go. “We made the decision to go our separate ways and end Amstel Light’s partnership with Phil Mickelson,” the spokesperson said. “We wish him all the best.”
Mickelson came under fire for justifying his relationship with the Saudi government—a regime Mickelson conceded that had a “horrible human rights record” and excutes “people over there for being gay”—as a means of leverage against the PGA Tour.
 
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How Much Was KPMG Paying Phil Mickelson and How Many Years Did Their Relationship Last?

How much did KPMG pay Phil Mickelson for sponsorship and how many years did their relationship last? Let us have a look at it
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How Much Was KPMG Paying Phil Mickelson and How Many Years Did Their Relationship Last?
Published 02/23/2022, 10:20 AM EST

Jan 27, 2022; San Diego, California, USA; Phil Mickelson acknowledges the crowd after a putt on the fourth green during the first round of the Farmers Insurance Open golf tournament at Torrey Pines Municipal Golf Course – South Course. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports/REUTERS

By AMEY KULKARNI
We all know Phil Mickelson, and his sponsors KPMG have mutually ended their agreement. This happened after Phil’s comments about the PGA Tour and the Saudi league were published last week. Meanwhile, the large U.S. audit, tax, and advisory firm KPMG published this news saying their sponsorship deal with Phil has ended by mutual agreement.


Moreover, Phil had given his partners an option to pause or end their relationships, given the current circumstances. And hence, soon KPMG published their statement about the same. But how much did KPMG pay Phil, and when did this sponsorship start? Let’s find out.


How many years was KPMG associated with Phil Mickelson, and how much did they pay him?
According to GolfMagic, the 2020 PGA Championship winner started his partnership with KPMG in 2008. And since then, he has worn their hat on the PGA Tour events for around 14 years. However, sadly, their association has come to an end. But the only good thing was that it was a mutual agreement, and hence, there was no issue between both parties.

Meanwhile, when it comes to the financial side of things between Phil and KPMG, there are no exact details about the same. However, according to GolfMagic, Forbes magazine once revealed that Phil Mickelson received over $30 million each year from his sponsor deals, which include KPMG and Callaway.
​

Notably, the split between both parties is because of Mickelson’s comments about the PGA Tour and the controversial Saudi League. Recently, he posted an apology on his social media accounts. Meanwhile, his equipment sponsors, Callaway, haven’t revealed their stance yet.

Jun 19, 2021; San Diego, California, USA; Phil Mickelson looks over the 5th green during the third round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at Torrey Pines Golf Course. Mandatory Credit: Michael Madrid-USA TODAY Sports

Prominent names like Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas have already opposed the Saudi League. They have extended their support to the PGA Tour and have condemned the attempt to create a rival league.


Another player Dustin Johnson, who was linked with Saudi League, has already made a statement. He has committed to compete on the PGA Tour and not join any other rival league. Meanwhile, Mickelson hasn’t openly revealed his stance yet. So it will be interesting to see how things unfold from here on.
 
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