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Phil Mickelson made his debut at the inaugural invitational tournament of LIV Golf earlier this year. The golfer has been in the news since then. Mickelson reportedly pocketed a huge sum to participate in the 54-hole, 48-man field tournament backed by the Government of Saudi Arabia.
However, this is not the first time that he has been in the spotlight for money-related issues. Earlier this year, Phil Mickelson revealed that he had a gambling addiction. The ace golfer was speaking in an interview with Sports Illustrated’s Bob Harig when he revealed that he suffered from a "reckless" and "embarrassing" gambling problem.
The 52-year-old athlete opened up on his addiction while in conversation about his move to the LIV Tour. Just days before his debut in the Saudi-backed series, Mickelson spoke about his financial condition.
The 2021 PGA Tour champion said that he had amassed huge losses due to his gambling addiction. Mickelson added that he had made “poor decisions” in the past.
Speaking to Bob Harig, Phil Mickelson said:
"My gambling got to a point of being reckless and embarrassing. I had to address it. And 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.”
He expanded on his addiction, saying:
"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."
Mickelson spoke about his wife's support and expressed his gratitude as he divulged:
"Amy 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."
Phil Mickelson has lost millions due to his gambling addiction
Golf writer Alan Shipnuck touched upon Mickelson's gambling addiction in the latter's autobiography. Addressing the debts carried by Mickelson, Shupnick noted that the former PGA Tour champ accrued an estimated gambling loss of around $40 million between 2010 and 2014.
Furthermore, the Securities and Exchange Commission had alleged that Mickelson cleared off a gambling debt of nearly $1 million using a stock tip. The LIV Tour player is also infamous for betting during practice rounds of competitions.
Mickelson spoke up about his addiction, acknowledging:
"On the golf course, it’s creating competition. But 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."
A six-time major championship winner on the PGA Tour, Phil Mickelson joined the LIV Tour earlier this year. He joined Dustin Johnson, Talor Gooch, Kevin Na, and Louis Oosthuizen at the controversial tournament that carries a prize money of $25 million.
In the aftermath, Phil Mickelson, along with other LIV Golf players, were banned from the PGA Tour. The drama continued as Mickelson joined 10 others in filing an antitrust suit against the PGA Tour, claiming that the Tour acted unlawfully by suspending them. The golfers lost the lawsuit and currently remain banned from the PGA.
