SouthernWorldwide.com – The team representing golf star Phil Mickelson has strongly criticized a reporter for a recent story detailing alleged troubling transgressions by the golfer, labeling the report a “drive-by shooting.”
Mickelson’s spokeswoman stated that the report elevated anonymous speculation over firsthand knowledge, a criticism aimed at reporter Alan Shipnuck and the publication Skratch.
The controversy stems from a Skratch article published earlier this month, which accused Mickelson of showing a nude photo of himself to a fellow golfer’s wife. This followed earlier reports suggesting he had been expelled from a golf club due to alleged misconduct with a female employee.
The five-time major champion had sought legal counsel for defamation concerning the golf club departure, which his team clarified was a voluntary resignation, not an expulsion.
Subsequently, Skratch published another story citing Ashley Perez, the ex-wife of golfer Pat Perez. Perez alleged that Mickelson showed her a nude photo of himself, explicitly stating she could come to his bedroom after her husband fell asleep. The Skratch report also included accounts from other anonymous sources hinting at potential infidelity by Mickelson and abrupt endings to his memberships at various golf clubs.
In response, Mickelson’s representative issued a statement vehemently denying the implications of the Skratch report. The statement asserted that Mickelson was never expelled from any golf club and his membership was never revoked.
The statement specifically addressed the report’s reliance on a source that suggested Mickelson’s wife, Amy, played a role in his club departures. This characterization was dismissed as false.
“Mr. Mickelson has never been forced by his wife or by any golf club to surrender his membership. Those decisions were his alone,” the statement read, further criticizing the source’s personal assumption being presented as fact.
Mickelson’s spokeswoman also took aim at Shipnuck for reporting claims from a source that Mickelson would pay a young man from the pro shop to track his phone, making it appear he was playing golf while actually having secret rendezvous.
The statement highlighted the source’s supposed knowledge and questioned its validity, stating, “How does the member know all of this? ‘The kid from the pro shop told me.'”
The spokeswoman argued that Shipnuck misrepresented a common family tracking feature as something sinister. She contended that anonymous speculation was presented as insight, when it was merely unsupported opinion.
While the statement did not explicitly deny the allegation of Mickelson showing Ashley Perez a photo of himself, it did confirm he had apologized for his conduct. However, the spokeswoman cautioned that this apology should not be misconstrued as an admission to all claims made against him.
She emphasized that responsible journalism requires a distinction between fact and speculation, and that the reporting failed to acknowledge the challenge to the allegation itself.
The statement also raised concerns about potential “corporate” bias, noting that Skratch was founded by the PGA Tour, and Mickelson has since joined LIV Golf.
“Taken together, these reporting failures expose an article that prioritizes a compelling, click-bait narrative over an accurate one. Anonymous speculation is elevated over firsthand knowledge. Implication is used where facts fall short. Private family members are falsely drawn into public narratives without evidence. Context that undermines sensational allegations is minimized. Readers are left with conclusions the reporting itself never actually establishes,” the statement concluded.
The team’s statement further argued that credibility is not built on provocative narratives but on transparency, verification, and a clear separation of fact, inference, and speculation. It urged readers to demand higher standards from journalism.
Mickelson has reportedly participated in only one LIV event this year and has not competed in any majors, citing a “personal health matter” he is attending to.
