33 Comments

1. 

   Fran

   Jul 25, 2020 at 9:23 am

   This is Mr Smith. IRS agent. The bureau would like to sit with you and mr Nickolson to discuss reportable gambling winnings.

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   • 

     BW

     Aug 6, 2020 at 3:57 am

     Why is Phil mad? It’s because he almost went to jail for insider trading. Why did he engage in insider trading? He owed his bookie money and “for example, according to a sworn statement by Mickelson’s business manager, on Sept. 19, 2012, Michelson paid Walters $1,950,000 to cover a debt ‘related to sports gambling.'” (from GolfDigest).
     So why would Phil risk everything for an insider trade that earned him $930,000 when he is worth hundreds of millions? Your guess is as good as mine, but he got off without going to jail (because he ratted out the bookie)–and I imagine the PGA told him “no more gambling.” So now a 17 year old tells the world that Phil is still gambling…and now you know why Phil may be angry…

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2. 

   Dave

   Jul 19, 2016 at 12:05 pm

   Really this story is what CNN would post and talk about it all day. Goofy

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3. 

   Busterpar

   Feb 3, 2016 at 10:27 am

   Typical Figjam. Take the kid aside in private and talk to him in a classy manner…..but then there is no cameras around to capture that smarmy public grin.

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4. 

   Benny

   Feb 2, 2016 at 7:23 pm

   While we all agree if we had the cash Lefty does we would most likely all make bets like this. The issue is Phil made a dumb bet here. The kid is 17, what did he expect, that the kid was gonna keep his mouth shut and there is some code of honor when the kid was just in highschool weeks ago? Seriously Phil, use your brain. You wouldn’t buy a 17 yr old booze, you wouldn’t sleep with a 17yr old girl, you certainly don’t bring a 17yr old to a bar or casino so why in the world would you bet a 17yr that amount of cash and act like a prick about it when he blabs the story. Its a friggen kid guys, for real. Who cares what you “would” or “should” have done, he is a kid and Phil showed his ignorance. Even if the kid lied about the amounts (which we know wasn’t a lie).

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   • 

     mc3jack

     Feb 6, 2016 at 2:07 pm

     Nailed it. Part of the wager was . . . “and I’m a 17 year old kid who’s gonna crow if you lose, FIGJAM.”

     Think anybody kept their mouth shut back in the day when pros like Hagen and everybody else made their living gambling against local Joes?

     What a douche.

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5. 

   Other Paul

   Feb 1, 2016 at 10:03 pm

   Pretty sure if i beat “The lefty” then this lefty would be very ungentleman like and posted it to facebook.
   But i probably wouldn’t have mentioned any money. I think the moral of the story is to never bet a cash amount but always a % of taxable income.

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6. 

   Johny Thunder

   Feb 1, 2016 at 8:14 pm

   I hope some of you are joking – about Phil’s gambling and needing a gun and bodyguard for his wallet. According to Forbes, Phil made $51 million in 2015.

   The math is easy – if Phil loses $5000 gambling, that’s the equivalent to a person earning $100k/yr losing $10.

   The correct answer is: discussing “money” is something that “gentlemen” do frequently. “Money”, though, more in the abstract. Discussing specific amounts like that is considered impolite. You’ll notice the announcers will say “xxx won a few dollars of xxx in the practice round”, where a few dollars could be over $10k.

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7. 

   Vito

   Feb 1, 2016 at 6:18 pm

   Calling a 17 year old out in the media is not exactly gentlemanly. Let’s call a spade a spade. Phil has some growing up to do himself.

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8. 

   ShankN3Jack

   Feb 1, 2016 at 10:24 am

   The first rule of Fight Club is: You do not talk about Fight Club.

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9. 

   Bob

   Feb 1, 2016 at 9:39 am

   Shady middle aged golf shark challenges teenagers to money games cries foul after they beat him.

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10. 

    Jeff*

    Jan 31, 2016 at 4:19 pm

    I have to say, first article that makes me feel old. There’s a clear generation understanding gap going on here. If you don’t see why Phil wasn’t pleased, you’re a child. If you sided with Phil, grown-up. Uh-oh, that’s gonna be trouble.

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11. 

    Jeff*

    Jan 31, 2016 at 4:17 pm

    All the Mickelson hate doesn’t change the fact that you just can’t buy cool, can’t buy class or “it.” I don’t read the same things in these articles most of you seem to anyway. If I won some money of a legend of the game, you’d simply never, ever hear me confirm or deny it. Let everyone else guess the numbers. The kid should have said, “I just played a round of golf with Phil Mickelson.” The money was Phils way of making him feel included, like a member of the club, and the kid blew it.

    I would wager that all the Phil backlash comes from Ryan Ruffles aged kids who simply have no idea what he did wrong. You don’t have to exclude folks to have class. Like I was saying, it just can’t be taught. I guarantee Jordan Split never had the problem with keeping his mouth shut around the big boys.

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12. 

    ooffa

    Jan 31, 2016 at 2:46 pm

    Phil = degenerate gambler

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13. 

    moses

    Jan 31, 2016 at 2:10 am

    Poor form on the kid to reveal the bet amount etc but hey he’s 17. How mature were we at 17?
    Really poor form on Phil betting $5000 with a minor.

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    • 

      jakeanderson

      Jan 31, 2016 at 5:15 pm

      no. very poor behavior from mickleson. first he forces a wager upon a kid (is it even legal?), then the kid wins, tells the story and mickelson rips him? i say that shows what mickelsons values are.

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    • 

      Shawn M

      Sep 16, 2020 at 9:03 am

      Totally agree

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14. 

    jakeanderson

    Jan 30, 2016 at 5:56 am

    very poor form from phickleson. first he takes a gamble and then he feels embarassed by it. boo!

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15. 

    christian

    Jan 30, 2016 at 5:18 am

    Isn’t gambling wholly un-gentlemanly in the first place?

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16. 

    K

    Jan 30, 2016 at 2:31 am

    Not a big deal. Good story, and Phil saying this is the worst thing he could have done. People make bets. Casino’s exist because of it.

    Secondly, the amount? Not major. I played with a couple members who had $5000 presses going on.

    Phil, if someone tells a story about you. Dear god, go with it.

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17. 

    Double Mocha Man

    Jan 29, 2016 at 11:33 pm

    If Phil is carrying $8000 cash I hope he’s also carrying a pistol and/or has a bodyguard.

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18. 

    Cares

    Jan 29, 2016 at 10:28 pm

    Ben,
    I’ve ripped your articles before…but this was a good one. Keep up the good work

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19. 

    Lob Wege

    Jan 29, 2016 at 7:57 pm

    Another great rip off article. C’mon GolfWRX!

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    • 

      MarkB A

      Jan 31, 2016 at 9:19 pm

      Typical Ben stuff.

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20. 

    alexdub

    Jan 29, 2016 at 2:31 pm

    Good on Phil. I like that he took the time to educate the youngster. Once bitten, twice shy; right? Every tour player—Woods and Phil included—had to go through the learning process.

    I don’t see the position he took as contradictory. Remember, cash gambling between individuals is against the law. From a legal stand point, saying ‘I have XXXX amount of money on me’, or, ‘I play cash games on Tuesdays’ is far different that saying ‘I played for $5k against this person on this day.’

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21. 

    Mike

    Jan 29, 2016 at 2:01 pm

    “Gentlemen’s game means gentlemen’s agreements.” Weird, wasn’t he was almost banned from Augusta National for not paying up on a bet to a member? Wonder where that falls in the “gentlemen’s rules”?

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    • 

      Nick

      Feb 8, 2016 at 1:54 pm

      He was. My favorite Phil story of them all.

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    • 

      Yikes

      Sep 22, 2020 at 10:45 am

      Wasn’t that Augusta story an April Fool’s hoax?: https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/phil-mickelson/

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22. 

    Keith

    Jan 29, 2016 at 1:21 pm

    Kid has a lot to learn about the PGA tour, and of all people to have loose lips about it is Phil. He’s notorious for money matches, I’ve even heard stories of him making bets during tournament rounds with other pros. The thing is that they all do it, for them its like an average guy playing a 5 dollar Nassau but the kid needs to be hush about it. As far as amount bet on that round Phil is probably the one downplaying it he definitely won’t show up for less then 2500 lol

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23. 

    Matt

    Jan 29, 2016 at 11:53 am

    Doesn’t surprise me, Lefty’s had a gambling problem for years.

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    • 

      Jay

      Jan 30, 2016 at 7:28 pm

      It’s not a problem if you’re worth millions. $5000 is loose change to him

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      • 

        Mike

        Feb 8, 2016 at 1:56 pm

        What about the money laundering charges? Probably not related, I guess.

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