Remember the 1999 Ryder Cup? Well, Phil Mickelson sure wouldn’t have, at least for a while after the event ended. And it was all thanks to the European trio headed by Lee Westwood. Yes, the exact golfer who is now alongside ‘Lefty’ at the Saudi-backed LIV Golf League. But what happened 25 years back that had left the HyFlyers GC skipper’s blood boiling?

Recounting the same was none other than KVV and Soly in an episode of the No Laying Up Podcast. They revisited the tournament, or specifically, the Ryder Cup controversy in Brookline that Mickelson even went ahead to re-kindle a year later in an interview. And so he did, by accusing Westwood, Darren Clarke, and Padraig Harrington of unsettling the Ben Crenshaw-led U.S. team by using gamesmanship.

”It was said in the European team meetings,” said Mickelson back in 2000, “Whether they will admit it or not, that the best way to bother the Americans is to slow-play them.” Meaning? Well, the golfer was referring to how the Mark James-led team was planning to “Hit an exorbitant number of practice putts,” all so they could force the American squad to play at their pace.

Surprisingly enough, at the center of the controversy was none other than Lee Westwood and Clarke, who were paired up against the likes of Phil Mickelson and Tom Lehman on the Fourballs session on Day 2. “We had just won the tenth hole,” said Lefty, “And that is exactly what they did.” What did the HyFlyers GC skipper do back then? He walked off to the 11th tee and teed off. “I wasn’t going to let my rhythm and timing get affected by my opponent,” said the pro. Guess we know where Tom Kim finds his inspiration from…

Did they like it? Nope. Not at all. “They didn’t like that,” admitted Mickelson back in 2000, “They still don’t. They are still upset about it. In my mind, not only did I not let them affect my play but I was able to upset and affect their play, so it worked out great.” And what happened as a result? The American golfer and his teammate were able to beat their European rivals and win the match, 2 & 1. But the left-handed pro’s issues against Europe didn’t stop there

Phil Mickelson and his issue with Padraig Harrington’s play in 1999

“Is running onto the green the same breach of etiquette as pacing 150 yards from your ball to the pin and back, taking seven minutes to hit a shot while your opponent is waiting?” It’s not us asking but Phil Mickelson. Apparently, Harrington, in his Sunday Singles with Mark O’Meara had walked all the way to the green and back to his ball even when it was more than 100 yards out. The slow play was ‘painfully’ wearing out his American opponent. ”Is that a total lack of etiquette or is that acceptable?” asked now-LIV Golf Pro back then.

Although Harrington did lose the match against O’Maera 1-up, the tournament seemed to have already found its due controversy. And Phil Mickelson didn’t back out from calling out the three athletes who decided to play it slow to get inside the heads of the Americans either. Especially after they went ahead to win the biennial event with the figures, 14.5-13.5. Quite a story, isn’t it?!