Phil Mickelson's team rips reporter for story about alleged troubling transgressions: 'Drive-by shooting'

Earlier this month, Skratch published a communicative that accused Phil Mickelson of showing a nude photograph of himself to a chap golfer's woman amid different archetypal reports that helium had been expelled from a play nine owed to alleged misconduct with a pistillate employee.

The five-time large champion obtained defamation counsel to absolve the "false rumors" astir his play nine departure, which turned retired to beryllium his ain voluntary resignation.

Days later, though, the Skratch communicative spoke to Ashley Perez, the ex-wife of pro golfer Pat, who said Mickelson showed her a representation of himself nude with an erection and flexing his bicep and said she could travel to his chamber aft her then-husband fell asleep. Skratch besides interviewed different sources for its communicative who hinted astatine imaginable infidelity by Mickelson amid abrupt endings of memberships astatine different play clubs.

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Phil Mickelson watches his tee changeable connected the 18th spread during the 2nd circular of the BMW Championship play tourney astatine Medinah Country Club, Friday, Aug. 16, 2019, successful Medinah, Ill.

A rep for Mickelson, though, said the newsman is possibly infamous for a "drive-by shooting" benignant of "anonymously-sourced" stories.

"The wide accusation (of the story) is that Mr. Mickelson was forced retired of aggregate play clubs. He wasn't. Mr. Mickelson has ne'er been expelled from a play club. His rank has ne'er been revoked by a play club," the connection says.

The connection besides ripped Shipnuck for citing a root successful which Mickelson's wife, Amy, played a relation successful his departures from clubs.

Phil Mickelson plays a changeable from the 5th tee during time 2 of LIV Golf South Africa astatine The Club astatine Steyn City successful Johannesburg connected March 20, 2026. (Johan Rynners/Getty Images)

PHIL MICKELSON ACCUSED OF SHOWING NUDE PHOTO TO PRO GOLFER'S EX-WIFE: 'COME SEE ME'

"That is false. Mr. Mickelson has ne'er been forced by his woman oregon by immoderate play nine to surrender his membership. Those decisions were his alone..." the connection said. "Instead, the source's idiosyncratic presumption astir her engagement is presented arsenic fact, and that unsupported speculation has since been repeated by different media outlets arsenic though it were established truth. It is not."

Mickelson's spokeswoman besides ripped Shipnuck for reporting that a root told him Mickelson would springiness his telephone to "a young antheral successful the pro store and wage him $500 to thrust astir the course," truthful his woman would judge helium was playing play portion "tracking his phone" arsenic helium had his "secret rendezvous."

"How does the subordinate cognize each of this? 'The kid from the pro store told me,'" the communicative reads.

"Shipnuck attempts to represent an mean 'Find My' household feature, utilized by millions of families each day, arsenic thing sinister. It wasn't. Anonymous speculation is presented arsenic meaningful penetration erstwhile it is thing much than unsupported opinion," Mickelson's spokeswoman said.

The connection does not contradict the allegation that Mickelson showed Ashley Perez a photograph of himself but does corroborate helium "apologize[d] for his conduct." However, that "should not beryllium misconstrued arsenic an admittance of each allegation made against him," the spokeswoman said. "Responsible journalism does not amplify the astir sensational characterization of a disputed lawsuit portion minimizing the information that the allegation itself was challenged."

The connection besides warned of imaginable "corporate" bias, arsenic Skratch was founded by the PGA Tour, and Mickelson has since defected to LIV Golf.

"Taken together, these reporting failures exposure an nonfiction that prioritizes a compelling, click-bait communicative implicit an close one. Anonymous speculation is elevated implicit firsthand knowledge. Implication is utilized wherever facts autumn short. Private household members are falsely drawn into nationalist narratives without evidence. Context that undermines sensational allegations is minimized. Readers are near with conclusions the reporting itself ne'er really establishes," the connection concludes.

Phil Mickelson plays a changeable from the 5th tee during time 2 of LIV Golf South Africa astatine The Club astatine Steyn City successful Johannesburg connected March 20, 2026. (Johan Rynners/Getty Images)

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"Credibility is not earned by publishing the astir provocative narrative. It is earned done transparency, verification, and a wide favoritism betwixt fact, inference, and speculation. Those standards support readers conscionable arsenic overmuch arsenic they support the radical being written about. Readers should request more. Journalism should, too."

Mickelson has played successful lone 1 LIV lawsuit this twelvemonth and nary majors arsenic helium attends to a "personal wellness matter."

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