Mickelson plays on despite probe
Phil Mickelson emerged from the room where he signed his scorecard for the third round of the Memorial Tournament and approached the waiting pack of media members with the same dazzling smile he had flashed his adoring fans the previous few hours at Muirfield Village Golf Club. “Awesome,” he said. Then the five-time major champion spent the next few minutes deflecting questions about a blockbuster report on Friday night that he is among three people being investigated by the federal government for insider stock trades. The others are investor Carl Icahn and Las Vegas gambler William “Billy” Walters, a friend of Mickelson’s.
Mickelson’s representatives issued a statement yesterday in which the golfer said, “I have done absolutely nothing wrong. I have cooperated with the government in this investigation and will continue to do so.”
He reiterated those points frequently in a four-minute interview yesterday while confirming the Wall Street Journal report that FBI agents met with him on Thursday after he finished his first round in the Memorial.
Five under par through the first 15 holes of that round, Mickelson finished with a bogey on No.16 and double bogeys on the final two holes. He is 2 under for the tournament entering the final round today.
Asked whether the investigation, which began in 2011, has been a distraction or affected his golf, Mickelson replied, “Not until Thursday.”
Mickelson, 43, is in the midst of his longest run of PGA Tour events without a top-10 finish — 15 since the Barclays in August. He did tie for second in a European Tour event in January.
But he said he thinks he can put it behind him heading into the U.S. Open in two weeks in Pinehurst, N.C. It is the only one of the four major championships that Mickelson has not won.
“I think that, as a player, you have to be able to block out whatever is going on off the golf course and be able to focus on the golf course,” he said. “It’s not going to change the way I carry myself. Honestly, I’ve done nothing wrong. I’m not going to walk around any other way.”
Mickelson walked no differently during the third round, making eye contact with fans and tipping his cap as he walked from greens to tees, and tossing so many balls to kids that his caddie, Jim “Bones” Mackay, had to ask a tournament official on the No. 8 tee to radio the pro shop to send out more sleeves. Then Mickelson worked the autograph line for 10 minutes after his media interview. The fans returned the favors. “I love you,” one woman yelled.
“Pinehurst, baby. Pinehurst,” a man shouted after Mickelson socked his drive 308 yards, to the top of the hill, at the 529-yard 15th hole.
Nowhere was heard a discouraging word. But there was one unwitting remark as Mickelson passed some fans on the long walk from the ninth green to the 10th tee.
“Take care of business,” the man said.