Phil Fires Back: "After seeing Steve Williams' comments all I could think of was how lucky I am to have a class act like Bones on my bag" **

Tiger's caddie fabricates a tale and refers to Phil Mickelson as a "prick," then offers a new version that also proved to be untrue while sticking to his classy characterization of Mickelson.

So Sunday, the target of Steve Williams issued a statement. And curiously, as of 11:32 EST Sunday night, The Guardian's Lawrence Donegan is the only one to report it:

The sedate world of professional golf is unused to such unvarnished opinions being thrown around in public and Mickelson made his unhappiness clear. "After seeing Steve Williams' comments all I could think of was how lucky I am to have a class act like Bones (his caddie, Jim Mackay) on my bag and representing me," the American left-hander said.

Mickelson also said a "joke" told by Williams in which the player was heckled by a fan over his weight during this year's US Open at Torrey Pines was "a total fabrication". "It is based on an incident on the 17th hole during a practice round of the US Open at Bethpage in 2002 that involved a European Tour player. The story has been retold often but Woods and Williams were not present at that incident," he said.

Obviously I'm entertained by the drama at play here and how it'll impact future Tiger-Phil pairings, but I'm also fascinated by the media reaction.

If Tiger Woods passes gas, the media grills him about the odor and his emotions before-during-after the passage. Follow ups will probe how hard the eruption made Stevie laugh and finally, if Elin had any thoughts on the matter.

Yet Tiger's ticking time bomb caddie, who works for someone with a no tolerance policy on questionable behavior from the people he surrounds himself with, fabricates a story and puts down the world's No. 3 player in demeaning fashion. But only one paper and no major golf website is picking up Mickelson's statement, with minimal or zero coverage of the overall controversy.

So is this because it's a silly season weekend when already slim coverage becomes less of a priority or this dereliction of duty driven by a fear of upsetting Team Tiger?

Or ominously for us readers, a combo platter deal?

Update on 2008-12-15 14:55 by Geoff

**As of 10 a.m. EST Monday, only golf.com has added Mickelson's statement, linking to Donegan's Guardian story. Nothing about the controversy on ESPN.com, GolfDigest.com, Golfweek.com or Yahoo.com. 

"According to Williams" **

Yesterday I mistakenly linked to Lawrence Donegan's Guardian version of the Steve Williams-calls-Phil Mickelson names story instead of the original by Murray Hills. I have corrected the link mix up on the post below.

However, my screw-up proved revealing (yes, I'm justifying blogging sloppiness!).

A reader called into question the Hills' story suggestion that the U.S. Open "Nice tits" tale took place during round 3, when we all know Tiger Woods and Phil only played together in rounds 1 and 2. The reader directed their criticism at Donegan, who clarified Hills's mistake here, why he wrote his story accordingly, while also revealing that it seems Williams, telling the tale to a group of 250, most likely made the story up.

Now, I should have known something was amiss with the Williams story since I was at Torrey Pines every day, followed the elite Tiger-Phil-Scott pairing most of the way and never heard about this happening. Other writers I've checked with say this was the first they've heard of it. And as several have noted, including Donegan in his post here, the tale sounds similar to a story about Monty that has made the rounds for years.

It's hard to imagine Stevie surviving this latest episode if it delivers the expected high humiliation factor on Tiger's lap. It's certainly not the Christmas gift Tiger wanted from his caddy on the eve of this week's event at Sherwood where Tiger hosts a press conference. 

Update on 2008-12-14 07:26 by Geoff

Thanks to reader Gene for catching Greg Ford's story following up with Williams about his remarks.

When approached by the Star-Times yesterday, Williams confirmed the quote was accurate, although he had not intended that it find its way into the public domain.

"I certainly didn't make it to a media person," he said. "I visit a lot of golf clubs and do a lot of speaking for charity and that is one of the questions I get asked the most: what is Tiger's relationship like with Phil Mickelson.

"I was simply honest and said they don't get a long. You know what it's like. You're at a charity event and you have a bit of fun."

Yes, yes, calling people prick's in the name of charity! Just makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

Asked if he used the word "prick", he said "yes" and added a few more choice words to the mix.

"I don't particularly like the guy myself," he said of Mickelson. "He pays me no respect at all and hence I don't pay him any respect. It's no secret we don't get along either."

Williams is an infamously brusque individual who once threw a spectator's camera into a pond. But, even by his standards, this was an astonishing thing to say.

Since scoring a job as Woods' bagman, he has been careful not to create any controversy, partly because Woods sacked his predecessor for his outspokeness.

Williams doubted Woods would react to his comments.

"He knows the media," he said. "You make a comment and they blow it all out of proportion and it's no big deal."

Oh good, we can ask him about that too!

But to make matters worse, the Guardian has reported a story Williams told about this year's US Open at Torrey Pines, where Woods and Mickelson were paired together.

The two players were walking down the 17th fairway when, according to Williams, someone shouted "Phil" in Mickelson's direction. The world No 2 did not respond until the fan shouted, "Hey, Mr Mickelson." When Mickelson turned and waved, the fan yelled out "Nice tits". The crowd erupted in laughter; Mickelson went double bogey, bogey and his chances of winning the tournament disappeared.

Williams confirmed the story was almost accurate, adding it was his recollection the incident happened at Beth Page.

Keep digging Stevie!

Folks, did Tiger and Phil play together at Bethpage?

Stevie On Phil: "I hate the prick"

Murray Hills buries the lede reports that Stevie Williams' rebranding effort (from Tiger Woods' lowly luggage looping lunatic to nature-loving porter for Tiger) may take a hit after being asked about Phil Mickelson.

It's also a well-known fact that Woods and American Phil "Mr Nice Guy" Mickelson are not the best of buddies. Williams told a story of Woods and Mickelson paired together during the US Open. The pair were duelling for the lead in the third round. Tiger waved to a packed grandstand seating 5000 people that bordered the 17th fairway. The crowd responded.

As a hush fell back over the crowd, a fan yelled out "Phil." No response from Mickelson. Again the fan yelled out "Phil." Again no response. The fan changed tack. "Hey, Mr Mickelson."

When Mickelson turned and waved, the fan yelled out "Nice tits." The crowd erupted in laughter; Mickelson went double bogey, bogey and his tournament was over.

And Williams on Mickelson?

"I wouldn't call Mickelson a great player ... 'cause I hate the prick."

And thanks Stevie for the wonderful timing: on the eve of Tiger's annual press conference at Sherwood. Maybe it won't be just a bunch of questions about the knee after all! And who says you are not media friendly?

"As a professional golfer we have to adapt to that by playing more internationally because that is where the opportunities are and that's where they will continue to grow."

Martin Parry reports that Phil Mickelson really likes the idea of playing overseas. Why do I think Tim Finchem reads this and says, "why weren't you so eager to play overseas when we played WGC's on foreign soil?"

Phil:

"Certainly, the dollar weakening over the past few years has made foreign currencies much stronger, which makes the purses much larger, so there's been a lot of international wealth being created," he said.

"The US golf industry has been stagnant for quite some time so all of our growth has been occurring on a global basis.

"As a professional golfer we have to adapt to that by playing more internationally because that is where the opportunities are and that's where they will continue to grow.

"So I look forward to having opportunities to continue to play more internationally and I understand that that is going to be an important part of being an international golfer."

The 38-year-old, who has won twice on the US Tour this year, added that he hoped other golfers recognised the importance of not just playing more overseas but helping popularise the game in under-exploited markets.

"The States' market is stagnant so the more opportunities we can have where top players play throughout the world and expose those places to golf I think will help grow the game," he said.

"That's an important part of what we do. The (season-ending) FedEx Cup ending in September has given us much more opportunity to do that now."

"You'd think a middle-class kid who grew up on scruffy public courses might want to give something back to the game that has given him so much."

Had he asked, I could have warned Tiger that this would be the type of reaction he would get to his latest design venture. Then again, with an 8-figure design fee and seven oceanfront holes to play with, he might not care what anyone thinks!

From Alan Shipnuck's Hot List, which also gives Phil a nod for his Entourage appearance over Tiger's "cringe inducing" Today Show interview:

1. Tiger. He announced his third golf course design project, and once again it's an exclusive development for the mega-rich. You'd think a middle-class kid who grew up on scruffy public courses might want to give something back to the game that has given him so much.

You know, come to think of it, everything Tiger's doing now seems like the calculated image-enhancing stuff Phil used to do and the stuff Phil is doing now reminds me more of humorous image stuff Tiger did a few years ago.

Phil Utters Obscenity; Street Cred Zooms!

Phil Mickelson's Entourage cameo included the use of the word "ass" (is that actually an obscenity?) and a performance that was, frankly, nuanced and subtle compared to the over-the-top mess turned in by former Oscar winner Martin Laundau (who appeared dressed to reprise the Mr. Havercamp role from Caddyshack).

So Phil's got that going for him.

Phil On Entourage

Tod Leonard reminds us that Phil Mickelson's Entourage cameo is Sunday night.

Phil: Volatility Means I Can Spend More Time Not Playing!

Steve Elling notes Phil Mickelson's bizarre remarks Wednesday.

With it becoming increasingly obvious that the sweeping points overhaul has placed too much emphasis on the performances of players in the four-event playoff series and devalued the importance of play in the regular season, Phil Mickelson dropped a bomb Thursday at the Deutsche Bank Championship that probably had a few officers at tour headquarters reaching for aspirin, if not hankies.

Those aren't raindrops from the latest tropical storm falling in Ponte Vedra Beach, those are teardrops of sheer fright. After a handful of prominent players had expressed the opinion Thursday that the new FedEx points system had overreached, Mickelson offered an entirely unanticipated answer.

"I think that the intent was to have more turnover, and certainly it has done that," he said. "I don't feel as though the season, the regular season, has anywhere near the same impact that it had, and so that could be a good thing because now we don't have to play as many events if we don't want to."

Uh-oh.

The points volatility is going to shine a big bright light on something we've known all along: way too many of the PGA Tour's finest are spoiled, unimaginative or willing to realize just how weak their "product" is these days. 

Of course it means the regular season means less. But for a little excitement at the end, isn't it worth it? Do these guys realize how little interest there is in the PGA Tour playoffs?

Phil and Pelz Scout Oakland Hills; Still Pondering Several Possible Faulty Game Plans

No mention in this AP story of the driver being benched, or a sixth wedge joining the team for the PGA. But they still have "a lot more work to do," which means there is still time.

Update on 2008-07-30 13:47 by Geoff

From SI's anonymous tour pro in this week's Golf Plus PGA preview:

But I do think Phil needs to change his approach. He should show up at Oakland Hills on Tuesday without his scientist and his astrologer and the rest of his posse. He's a feel player who plays with imagination. Charting the greens and all this excess preparation is out of character for him. Phil wants to leave nothing to chance, but everything in golf is chance. You don't know how you're going to feel, which way the wind will blow, whether you'll sleep well, what kind of lie you'll get in the bunkers. There are a million variables.

My advice to Phil is to pull a Padraig. Because of a sore wrist Harrington had no expectations at Royal Birkdale and played one hole on Wednesday after having gone maybe five holes the day before. Phil: Show up at Oakland Hills on Tuesday and play nine holes. Play another nine on Wednesday, then gun it on Thursday and see what happens.

Phil Holds Ground In Testimony; Tells Congress That His Charity Efforts Are Working Wonders

Not included on the YouTube edition were tough questions from our hard-working Congressmen.

Congress Calls Phil To Testify; Expected To Assert Fifth Amendment Rights If Torrey Driver Decision Comes Up

Phil and Amy Mickelson will be hosting an education-related town hall before Phil heads up the hill to testify at the request of Exxon-Mobil's lobbyists   Exxon Mobil's PR department  Congress. He will be talking about the state of math and science education in the United States.

"Amy and I are thrilled to be working with our partners to give teachers the tools they need to help improve math and science education in this country," said Phil Mickelson. "Through our series of Town Hall Forums, we can also raise awareness, focus attention and dedicate additional resources toward solving the growing crisis in math and science education."

Joining the Mickelsons on the panel will be Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum, president of Spelman College in Atlanta; Dr. Gerry Wheeler, executive director of the National Science Teachers Association; and James M. Rubillo, executive director of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. Dr. Emlyn Koster, president and chief executive officer of the Liberty Science Center, will open the Town Hall Forum by addressing the important role science centers play in energizing young minds in math and science. Ken Cohen, vice president of public affairs with ExxonMobil, will moderate the panel and encourage additional discussion of key topics in math and science education.

“I wish the (PGA) tour had the (guts) to do it more.”

Tod Leonard talks to Phil about The Pairing and Torrey Pines, which he has yet to play this week (!?).
“I think it's awesome,” Mickelson said in an interview yesterday with The Union-Tribune. “I wish the (PGA) tour had the (guts) to do it more.”

Leonard's San Diego Union Tribune counterpart Tim Sullivan is not a fan of The Pairing and says you are better off watching on television, though in the USGA's defense he shares some pretty impressive numbers about the proportion of fans and grandstand seats.

"That's what number twos in the world do"

If you didn't see Phil Mickelson's dramatic birdie to win at Colonial, well, there's good news CBS has posted it online you need to wait until someone posts it on YouTube because the CBS Sports recap mysteriously does not show it. Instead, there's 2 minutes of Jim Nantz and Nick Faldo talking about how miraculous it was. Oh joy! (And they won't let anyone embed the video on blogs...good call suits, you're so savvy!).

But you can see this stellar shot (left) of his birdie putt by Marc Feldman courtesy of golf.com.

Mark Lamport-Stokes wrote about the final day heroics for Reuters. 

Clark, seeking his first PGA Tour title, birdied two of the last three holes to secure his sixth runner-up spot on the world's most lucrative circuit.

"I'm as surprised as anybody I was able to make a three from over there," Mickelson, 37, told reporters of his remarkable shot through and over trees at the last. "I was just lucky.

"It wasn't like it was an easy shot, but it just came off perfectly. It was one of my more memorable ones."

Known for his creative and often bold on-course strategy, Mickelson ranked his wedge approach as "probably top five" among the best shots of his career.

There was this interesting quote from the runner-up, Rod Pampling:

"That's what number twos in the world do," Pampling said. "Those guys make those kinds of shots. I thought I was in great position. I am obviously disheartened."

Mickelson joins Hogan and Snead as the only winners at Colonial and Riviera in the same year (the telecast mentioned Billy Casper but he won at Brookside GC, not Riviera).