Phil Mickelson Pumps the Brakes After Alleged $500,000 Gambling Controversy

Phil Mickelson is not a happy golfer right now. The funny thing is, this has nothing to do with any recent performances or losing a tournament. 

The Detroit News has linked him to an alleged mob bookie that was reported to have cheated Mickelson out of $500,000 in gambling winnings. The recent reveal of the story had Mickelson claiming he would never return to the Rocket Mortgage Classic in Detroit.

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Phil Mickelson’s Story Was from 2007, so Why Now?

Robert Snell helped create the article for covering the 2007 transcript from the trial of Jack Giacalone. Giacalone was an organized crime leader in Detroit during that time. 

Another person by the name of “Dandy” Don DeSeranno was also at the time one of the biggest gamblers. In the transcript, it was recorded that he could not pay Mickelson $500,000. 

Mickelson was not accused of any wrongdoing and the story actually played out to be true. But Mickelson and his attorney, Glenn Cohen, are both highly upset after the report is surfacing again from over 20 years ago. 

Mickelson’s Thoughts on the Timing

Mickelson recently stated that Snell made the article at an “opportunistic, selfish and irresponsible” time. Funny enough, Mickelson still performed solidly that day, shooting 3-under 69 in the opening round for the Rocket Mortgage Classic.

The 51-year-old Mickelson obviously does not like old negative news popping up, as no one does. But this was especially upsetting since he was thinking of skipping this tournament due to a busy schedule. 

However, he wanted to help out with the tournament. His appearance helped ratings of course but also filled a much-needed spot. 

Once he became the oldest golfer to win a major in the PGA Championship a few months ago, you could tell that he put in a lot of preparation. On top of that, he also trained in getting ready for the U.S. Open and then played at the Travelers Championship. 

Lack of Appreciation for Phil Mickelson

Mickelson went out of his way to join the Rocket Mortgage Classic and to put a lot of effort into the tournament with his kind of schedule. The timing of the news appears intentional and not something that he took lightly. 

Mickelson was more upset about the attack versus the news itself. This happened over 20 years ago and appears not shaken by it. 

He also stated that he loves the people and the tournament. However, this is arguably the last time that fans will be able to witness Mickelson in Detroit for the Rocket Mortgage Classic. 

Looking back at that time, it was not uncommon for players to get together with friends to bet large amounts, hoping for a big win. Mickelson, unfortunately, was part of a bad situation. 

He never received any money and the guy that took the money turned out to be a bad guy. The point is, the timing of the article was unnecessary and meant to hurt Mickelson’s character.