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.
“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.”
Zephyr Melton is an assistant editor for GOLF.com where he spends his days blogging, producing and editing. Prior to joining the team at GOLF, he attended the University of Texas followed by stops with the Texas Golf Association, Team USA, the Green Bay Packers and the PGA Tour. He assists on all things instruction and covers amateur and women’s golf. He can be reached at zephyr_melton@golf.com.