Phil Mickelson on Saturday at Trump National Golf Club Bedminster.
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He might win.
Why not, on this week of weeks, even by his outrageous requirements. Heading into Sunday and the ultimate spherical of LIV Golf’s Bedminister occasion, Phil Mickelson is tied for second, 4 strokes out of the lead, and he’ll play within the last grouping.
Sure.
Wacky factor is, a victory could also be solely the fourth or fifth notable factor over simply the previous 5 or so days. Let’s overview, so as of prevalence.
Twitter, 5:03 p.m. Tuesday. Hours earlier, in a press convention forward of the PGA Tour’s FedEx St. Jude Championship, Jon Rahm was requested to call a change he would make, in mild of the Tour’s current proposed cope with the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund, and the thought that every little thing was probably on the desk. Would or not it’s more cash? Or extra break day? No, no. But his request was dire.
“I know this is going to sound very stupid,” Rahm mentioned, “but as simple as having a freaking port-a-potty on every hole. I know it sounds crazy, but I can’t choose when I have to go to the bathroom. I’ve told the Tour this many times, as simple as that.”
Mickelson caught wind of it throughout Twitter. Over the previous yr, the Tour and LIV, additionally funded by the PIF, have bickered over participant wellness, amongst different subjects, and what adopted from one in all LIV’s greatest stars was simply one other go surfing the hearth.
“It’ll never happen,” Mickelson tweeted. “UNLESS, LIV starts doing it. Then it’ll happen immediately.”
There was extra.
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Bedminster press convention, Wednesday. And this change, additionally in mild of the proposed settlement, together with modifications the Tour and its commissioner, Jay Monahan, have made throughout its battle with LIV. We’ll simply notice that Mickelson believes he’s been a catalyst.
“What’s your reaction been when you’ve seen how it’s unfolded, because really it’s unfolded the way it was proposed to some degree in the first place to Jay and whatnot, and as you’ve seen the Tour react to the success of LIV, what’s been your reaction to that, since you were in the belly of the beast from the start here?”
“Yeah, so prior to this,” Mickelson mentioned, “Jay and I had four three- or four-hour meetings, and all the notes I look back on, I’d say 85 or 90 percent of them are happening, and I think that’s really cool, and I’m happy for the PGA Tour. I wish them all the best.”
“Do you find yourself shaking your head at all?”
“Well, I mean, I chuckle,” Mickelson mentioned. “I certainly am chuckling, yes.”
There was extra.
An excerpt from previous pal and legendary bettor Billy Walters’ forthcoming guide, Gambler, which was published by Golf Digest, Thursday. It was damning. Mickelson has already acknowledged his playing habit, however Walters’ account supplies extra colour as to the scope of Mickelson’s behavior. Walters alleges that Mickelson had gambled greater than $1 billion and misplaced greater than $100 million. Walters additionally alleges that Mickelson wagered upward of 9 $110,000 bets a day, and on one event positioned 43 bets on Major League Baseball video games in the identical day. More troubling nonetheless, Walters claims to have fielded a request from Mickelson to position a $400,000 wager on the 2012 Ryder Cup, at which Mickelson competed on the U.S. group.
Early Thursday night time, through Twitter and statements to a number of shops, Mickelson provided this response:
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“I never bet on the Ryder Cup. While it is well known that I always enjoy a friendly wager on the course, I would never undermine the integrity of the game. I have also been very open about my gambling addiction. I have previously conveyed my remorse, took responsibility, have gotten help, have been fully committed to therapy that has positively impacted me and I feel good about where I am now.”
There was extra.
On Friday, throughout spherical one of many Bedminster occasion, Mickelson shot a one-under 70.
On Saturday, throughout spherical two, he birdied his first gap, the par-5 18th. (LIV performs with a shotgun begin format.) Then his third gap. Then his ninth. And his twelfth and thirteenth. He bogeyed his fifteenth. He narrowly missed a birdie on his 18th.
And he might win.
He’s by no means achieved that within the yr he’s been on LIV. His final Tour win got here on the 2021 PGA Championship. Is he summoning showmanship right here? Maybe. Is he flipping his driver off in any respect the noise? Maybe that, too. Would he go quietly into the New York metro-area night time with a victory? Probably not.
“Yeah, it would mean a lot to me to win one of these events,” Mickelson mentioned afterward on Saturday. “I’m actually making an attempt exhausting. That’s a sturdy purpose of mine. I’m working actually exhausting to do it.
“This is a nice stepping-stone for me to construct on and to have that chance tomorrow, and we’ll see the way it goes tomorrow.
“This has been a lot of fun.”
Sure.
Why not?
