Smack-talking Phil Mickelson makes gambling claim to Bryson DeChambeau

Phil Mickelson made a claim about his gambling before taking on fellow LIV Golf player Bryson DeChambeau in a nine-hole match at The Greenbrier.

Ben Smith

08 Aug 2023

Smack-talking Phil Mickelson makes gambling claim to Bryson DeChambeau

Phil Mickelson still appears to dabble in gambling, but made the claim he limits money matches to $1,000.

Mickelson made the claim before taking on Bryson DeChambeau in a 9-hole match that was filmed before the 29-year-old tore apart The Greenbrier's Old White course, shooting a lights out 12-under 58 to claim his maiden LIV Golf victory.

"So what are we playing for?" Mickelson asked DeChambeau at the start of the 38-minute video that was uploaded to his personal YouTube channel.

"I haven't thought about it," DeChambeau replied.

Then Mickelson dropped the rules.

"Okay, well, Camo [Cameron Tringale] and I will play you guys, yourself and Anirban [Lahiri]. We'll play you nine holes for a G, straight best ball, and when you're down and closed out you can press for half. So you gotta win the match to win."

Mickelson added that if any pair were to shoot 28 or better best ball then the G is doubled.

DeChambeau then told the camera Mickelson 'plays in a lot of these things' so he knows how to cut a deal in his favour.

That's where Mickelson revealed:

"You know, I actually max it at that. I don't ever play for more. I always want to keep it friendly."

Mickelson didn't go any further than that, but he added some smack talk to DeChambeau:

"Just so you know, Camo and I, we don't do PayPal or Venmo or any of that BS. It's straight up cash. Just so we're clear."

The video has gone down well so far, with more than 400,000 views registered 18 hours after it was uploaded.

Undoubtedly, the best bits of the video contained Mickelson's commentary as he walked the viewer through each shot.

And of course, the smack talk. "They're gonna be seeing that s--- all day," Mickelson said after lacing his first drive straight down the middle.

"Well, at least through nine."

More:

"I've been dealing with it for some time"

Mickelson's gambling issues are well-known and some of his stories are also the stuff of folklore.

The author Alan Shipnuck claimed Mickelson lost $40m gambling between 2010-2014.

When Mickelson returned to the world of men's professional golf following the fallout from his famous remarks over his dealings with the Saudis, he opened up on his gambling problems.

Although not fully. He did say, however, that it got to the point of being 'reckless and embarrassing'.

He has had hundreds of hours of therapy. "I don't like that people know," Mickelson told reporters, adding:

"The fact is I've been dealing with it for some time. Amy has been very supportive of it and with me and the process. We're at place after many years where I feel comfortable with where that is. It isn't a threat to me or my financial security. It was just a number of poor decisions."

In June, he said he hadn't gambled in years as he claimed his net worth was approaching $1bn.

He was called out on this, given that he appears to still flutter in money matches.