The alleged incident took place in New Jersey at a dinner during
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LIV golfers Phil Mickelson and Pat Perez were the subject of a new afterword in Alan Shipnuck’s biography about “Lefty” and the details surfaced in the New York Post on Monday.
Shipnuck wrote in the book “Phil” that Mickelson once showed Perez’s wife, Ashley, an “offensive” picture, which may have spurred the feud between the two golf pros. The book says Mickelson invited Perez and his wife to dinner in New Jersey during the 2015 Barclays Tournament.
Phil Mickelson reacts on the eighth green during the second round of the 123rd U.S. Open at the Los Angeles Country Club on June 16, 2023. (Andrew Redington/Getty Images)
As Perez went to the bathroom, Shipnuck wrote that Mickelson showed Ashley Perez a “photograph of himself that she found offensive.” Perez declined comment to the New York Post.
According to the book, Perez said “It’s a matter between us. We handled it.”
Mickelson declined to comment. However, his agent Steve Loy and Perez’s agent at the time, Jeff Koski, were reportedly present for the dinner and claimed the Shipnuck’s account was “absolutely untrue,” according to Mickelson’s attorney.
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Pat Perez and his wife Ashley Perez attend the LIV Golf Invitational welcome party at Redd on June 28, 2022, in Portland, Oregon. (Joe Scarnici/LIV Golf via Getty Images)
Perez talked about his feud with Mickelson on the “Son of a Butch” podcast in November. But it was unclear whether he was talking about the photo incident.
“When it comes to Phil, I have a different hate for Phil than most people.… Phil crossed the line with me that is just uncrossable and unforgivable,” Perez said, adding that Mickelson apologized but that he cannot forgive him.
“… because I’ve known Phil for a long, long time. I’ve known the guy forever. And the fact that when he made this action, not only was it – he had intentions of doing it; he knew it was going to happen before it happened and when he did it – I was hurt, for one. I was like, ‘How can this guy do this?’”
Mickelson participated in the U.S. Open over the weekend but missed the cut. He hasn’t made the cut in the major tournament since 2021. Pat Perez hasn’t participated in a major since the 2019 PGA Championship.
Pat Perez and his wife Ashley walk up the 16th tee after the LIV Golf Invitational on July 31, 2022, at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey. (Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
When it comes to LIV, both players are trying to catch Talor Gooch who has two wins in the series this year. Perez is 21st in the standings with his best finish coming in Adelaide (6th). Mickelson is 39th in the standings with his best finish coming in Singapore (15th).