Phil Mickelson is denying he was ever forced out of golf clubs and rejects claims that he showed a woman a nude photo of himself — accusing a golf writer of publishing an “anonymously sourced drive-by shooting.”
Representatives for the six-time major champion provided The Post with an exclusive statement accusing Skratch reporter Alan Shipnuck of relying on anonymous sources and factual distortions in his article.
Shipnuck’s investigation, published by Skratch last week, included claims by Ashley Perez, the then-wife of pro golfer Pat Perez, that Mickelson showed her an explicit photo of himself and propositioned her in 2015.
The article also cited anonymous sources who alleged Mickelson’s departures from The Farms Golf Club, The Madison Club and The Bridges were tied to allegations of inappropriate advances toward women and other personal misconduct. Mickelson previously denied the allegations, with his attorney saying he had video evidence to refute accusations centered on Farms Golf Club in particular.
Shipnuck’s article alleged that Mickelson’s departure from The Farms Golf Club “seems to be part of a larger pattern,” pointing to what it described as his “abrupt departures” from The Madison Club and The Bridges.
Citing anonymous sources, Shipnuck’s story suggested the exits were tied to Mickelson’s personal conduct and left readers with the impression he had been forced out of multiple private clubs.
Shipnuck’s investigation also delved into Mickelson’s marriage, citing anonymous sources who speculated that his wife, Amy, played a role in his departures from the exclusive golf clubs.
The article also pointed to the family’s use of Apple’s “Find My” location-sharing feature, suggesting it reflected strain in the couple’s relationship.
The investigation by Shipnuck cited anonymous sources who alleged Mickelson paid club employees to hold onto his cellphone while he met with other women, an arrangement the article suggested was intended to conceal his whereabouts.
Mickelson’s representatives called that portrayal “false,” saying Amy Mickelson “is not a public figure” who “did not choose this spotlight” and that “there was no legitimate journalistic reason to drag her into it.”
Mickelson’s statement accused Shipnuck of allowing anonymous sources to speculate about the couple’s marriage and Amy Mickelson’s motives “they had no firsthand knowledge of” and said the article wrongly portrayed the family’s use of Apple’s “Find My” feature as “something sinister” when it was simply “an ordinary ‘Find My’ family feature, used by millions of families every day.”
“Mr. Mickelson has never been expelled from a golf club. His membership has never been revoked by a golf club,” Mickelson’s reps told The Post.
“Those decisions were his alone.”
The statement also called “false” any suggestion that Mickelson’s wife, Amy, orchestrated his departures from golf clubs, saying Shipnuck relied on anonymous sources to speculate about her role without firsthand knowledge.
Mickelson’s representatives also disputed Shipnuck’s handling of Perez’s allegation that he showed her an explicit photo of himself, arguing the story omitted what they called a key detail from a later apology call.
According to the statement, Mickelson immediately challenged the characterization of the image by asking, “You mean topless?”
The statement argued that “Mr. Mickelson’s willingness to apologize for his conduct should not be misconstrued as an admission of every allegation made against him.”
More broadly, Mickelson’s representatives accused Shipnuck of elevating “anonymous speculation” over firsthand reporting and using “implication” where “facts fall short.”
The statement also argued Skratch failed to disclose what it described as the publication’s longstanding relationship with the PGA Tour — a connection Mickelson’s camp said readers should have known about given that the story centered on one of the tour’s highest-profile defectors to LIV Golf.
According to the statement, Skratch was created as a PGA Tour-owned media brand before being folded into Pro Shop in 2024 as part of a transaction in which the PGA Tour retained a minority ownership stake and became a strategic partner.
“None of those relationships mean Skratch cannot report independently,” the statement said.
“They do, however, create a corporate relationship that reasonable readers may consider relevant when evaluating an extensive investigation into Phil Mickelson, one of the most consequential players ever to leave the PGA Tour for LIV Golf.”
The statement from Mickelson concluded by accusing Shipnuck of prioritizing “a compelling, click-bait narrative over an accurate one.”
“Credibility is not earned by publishing the most provocative narrative,” it said.
“It is earned through transparency, verification, and a clear distinction between fact, inference, and speculation.”
Ben Boskovich, editor-in-chief of Skratch, rejected all of Mickelson’s claims, telling The Post that the golf publication offered the former Masters champion, his wife and his attorney an opportunity to comment on the claims three days before the article was published last week.
“It’s bizarre that [Mickelson lawyer] Tom Clare is now challenging our reporting through The New York Post,” Boskovich said in a statement.
“Skratch Golf stands by its reporting.”
He also said Skratch’s affiliation with the PGA has been well known in the sports world since 2024.
The Post has sought comment from Ashley Perez.
