Amid Rory McIlroy’s Brutal Jibe, PGA Tour Pro Reveals a Modest Phil Mickelson Story 10 Years After His Heartwarming Gesture

Phil Mickelson began etching his legacy when he first earned an exemption on the PGA Tour as an amateur and has since been a constant source of headlines. However, after joining LIV Golf last year, his fame has leaned more on notoriety than his accomplishments.

News breaking out about his gambling problems, with proof no less, has become a hot topic these days. Former World No.1 Rory McIlroy took a dig at him in the light of the $400,000 gambling revelation. Amid all the drama surrounding the colorful LIV Golfer, another story has emerged involving a different PGA Tour Pro.

A decade later, a golfer shares a tale about Mickelson from his PGAT days

It was mid-2013 and the US Open at Merion was underway. Two golfers stood in the locker room, the last of the group. One was an established name with several prestigious titles, the other a plucky amateur with a bright future. It was Phil Mickelson and Michael Kim.

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The South Korean Pro had received exemptions at the time to tee up on the PGA Tour and a month after the event at Merion, he was supposed to play alongside Mickelson at Greenbrier. The young golfer wanted to play some practice rounds with the man who left a legacy on the Amateur circuit. Unfortunately, Phil did not know that Michael Kim was 19 years old and in school back then.

Upon learning that the South Korean future pro would be in Greenbrier, Mickelson suggested dinner for the two of them. “Leave me a note in my locker to remind me, let’s do it…” Lefty had said to the ecstatic amateur. Fast forward a month and Greenbrier was underway where, unfortunately, the 2013 Open Championship Winner missed the cut and flew home immediately.

Mickelson apologized for canceling and took a “rain check.” The 30-year-old golfer wrote, “I’ve never brought it up to him because I don’t want to be that guy that goes, remember that promise you made 10 years ago? Lol.”

This recent story about Lefty is one of many heartwarming gestures he has made over the years toward his peers. It is a savior, especially in light of his faltering reputation thanks to the big gambling allegations.

Lefty’s former gambling buddy exposes his financial setbacks

Earlier, Alan Shipnuck reported Mickelson’s gambling habits where the amount of his losses were capped at $40 Million. However, Billy Walters, a well-known sports gambler in the States, wrote in his book ‘Gambler: Secrets from a Life at Risk’ a scathing exposé of the LIV Golfer that covers two whole chapters.

In the opus, he mentioned that Mickelson was attempting to bet $400,000 on the Ryder Cup and his aggregate gambling amounts were a whopping $1 billion approximately. And that he lost loads of money. Of course, that’s what inspired Rory McIlroy to take the dig on the LIV Golfer, saying he can bet on Ryder Cup 2023 since he won’t be part of the team.

What are your thoughts on Michael Kim’s story of Lefty? Do you think McIlroy’s dig was justified? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.

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