11 August 2023 , 18:06
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Jordan Spieth was forced to bite his tongue after being questioned on the betting allegations surrounding his former Ryder Cup teammate Phil Mickelson.
Entrepreneur Billy Walters made a number of claims surrounding Mickelson's betting activity in his soon-to-be-published book, 'Gambler, Secrets from a Life at Risk’. The pair had previously been betting partners, and Walters alleged that Mickelson had placed £786 million ($1bn) in bets, and lost around £79 million ($100m) in the process.
The 77-year-old - who was convicted of insider trading in 2017 - also alleged that the former PGA Tour star had approached him to place a bet on the 2012 Ryder Cup at Medinah, an event Mickelson was playing in. Walters wrote: "He was so confident that he asked me to place a $400,000 wager for him on the U.S. team to win.
"I could not believe what I was hearing. "Have you lost your f****** mind?’ I told him. ‘Don’t you remember what happened to Pete Rose?’
"The former Cincinnati Reds manager was banned from baseball for betting on his own team. ‘You’re seen as a modern-day Arnold Palmer,’ I added. ‘You’d risk all that for this? I want no part of it. ‘Alright, alright’, he replied.”
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Mickelson has since denied the claims, tweeting: "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."
On the back of the release of the extract on Thursday, the debate surrounding the allegations against Mickelson has dominated the world of golf. One man who was asked his opinion on it was three-time major champion Spieth, after taking the first-round lead at the FedEx St. Jude Championship.
Asked his thoughts on Mickelson's betting claims, Spieth said: "I mean I would say people [PGA Tour players] were a bit surprised, at the amount of..." The American star then quickly stopped in his tracks, before deciding not to proceed any further on what had been discussed between players.
Instead, Spieth opted to distance himself from the situation, adding: "I haven't really seen a whole lot on it. I just saw what some people sent me and stuff, and it was so quick this morning that even if I wanted to comment, I don't think it's a good idea."
Spieth is not the only star who was questioned on the news, with Mickelson's great rival in the PGA Tour-LIV Golf saga, Rory McIlroy also asked. McIlroy provided a much more brutal answer, responding: "At least he can bet on the Ryder Cup this year because he won’t be a part of it."