Phil Mickelson airs bizarre new claim amid apology for ‘reckless’ Saudi remarks

Six-time major champion Phil Mickelson has issued a lengthy statement addressing comments he made in an interview about plans for a Saudi-backed golf league to rival the PGA Tour, adding that he “desperately (needs) some time away”.

At issue was an excerpt of a book author Alan Shipnuck shared online last week, in which Mickelson admitted his concerns about Saudi Arabia’s human rights record before adding: “They’re scary mother******* to get involved with.”

He admitted he was using Saudi interest in launching a rival league as leverage to get players more money.

“We know they killed (Washington Post reporter and US resident Jamal) Khashoggi and have a horrible record on human rights. They execute people over there for being gay,” Mickelson said.

“Knowing all of this, why would I even consider it? Because this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reshape how the PGA Tour operates.”

Since those comments, Dustin Johnson and Bryson DeChambeau joined the growing list of high-profile professionals to announce they would remain on the PGA Tour rather than be swayed to the so-called Super Golf League.

Rory McIlroy called Mickelson’s comments “naive, selfish, egotistical, ignorant” and said the proposed breakaway tour was “dead in the water”.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Mickelson did not directly acknowledge the PGA Tour, the Super Golf League or his peers’ criticism, and claimed Shipnuck took off-the-record remarks out of context.

“Although it doesn’t look this way now given my recent comments, my actions throughout this process have always been with the best interest of golf, my peers, sponsors, and fans,” Mickelson said.

“There is the problem of off-record comments being shared out of context and without my consent,