Phil Mickelson apologized Tuesday for comments about the Saudis and a proposed super league – harsh words that “Lefty” says were off the record and not meant to be shared publicly.
“It was reckless, I offended people, and I am deeply sorry for my choice of words,” he said.
Nearly coming at the same time as Mickelson’s statement, KPMG became the first of his sponsors to cut ties, a decision the company said was mutual.
“We wish him the best,” KPMG said in a statement.
Mickelson said of his November words to author and golf writer Alan Shipnuck, “I’m beyond disappointed and will make every effort to self-reflect and learn from this.”
Mickelson told Shipnuck, who’s authoring a biography about Mickelson due out in May, that the Saudis behind a proposed breakaway rival league were “scary mother—ers to get involved with,” though it’s worth it to get involved with them.
“We know they killed (Washington Post columnist Jamal) Khashoggi and have a horrible record on human rights. They execute people over there for being gay,” he said. “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.”
“Although it doesn’t look this way now given my recent comments,” Mickelson said he always puts the interests of golf first.
“There is the problem of off-record comments being shared out of context and without my consent,” he said. “But the bigger issue is that I used words I sincerely regret that do not reflect my true feelings or intentions.”
Shipnuck wrote that “not once did he say our conversation was off-the-record or on background or just between us or anything remotely like that. He simply opened a vein.” He tweeted Tuesday that Mickelson’s claims he spoke off the record were “completely false.”
Mickelson’s apologies made no mention of the PGA Tour or its commissioner Jay Monahan, which he referred to as a “dictatorship” in the interview. Mickelson added that he and three top players had paid attorneys to write the operating agreement of a rival league.
