Phil Mickelson is making his first appearance at the Rocket Mortgage Classic (the event has only been held three times) this week, and it could be his last. The reigning PGA Champion wasn’t happy with a recent story published in the Detroit News detailing the golfer’s gambling history including his past association with “Dandy” Don DeSerrano, a mob bookie who allegedly cheated Mickelson out of $500,000.
"Why are you going to embarrass Phil Mickelson when he's there to support your tournament and the charities it supports and the [PGA] Tour?" questioned Mickelson’s attorney, Glenn Cohen, in comments to ESPN’s Bob Harig. "I'm disappointed they would curiously pick this week to write an article about a bet that was made over 20 years ago and a jury trial that took place in 2007, where the guy who was convicted is dead and where the only purpose for this article is to embarrass Phil Mickelson."
"It was so much effort for me to be here and to have that type of unnecessary attack,” said Mickelson, who has had a busy past month, playing tournaments in San Diego, Connecticut and now Detroit. “Not like I care, it happened 20-something years ago, it's just the lack of appreciation. Yeah, I don't see that happening. I don't see me coming back. Not that I don't love the people here, they have been great, but not with that type of thing happening.”
After having a day to cool off, the 51-year-old said Friday he’d consider returning to the Motor City for next year’s Rocket Mortgage Classic, under one condition. “I don’t want to be divisive. I didn’t like the way that felt with the reporter. And the people here were so nice that I’ll make a deal with them,” said Mickelson. “There’s a guy Mike Sullivan who’s trying to raise 50,000 signatures. If he gets 50,000 and all of those 50,000 agree to do one random act of kindness for another member of the community, I’m in.”
Mickelson is -3 through 54 holes at Detroit Golf Club, seven strokes off the pace set by co-leaders Joaquin Niemann and Tom Lewis. World No. 6 Bryson DeChambeau, who made headlines earlier this week when he arrived in Detroit without longtime caddie Tim Tucker (the two are reportedly “taking a break”), did not qualify for the weekend, missing the cut at -1. He and Mickelson will travel to Montana next week to face off in a made-for-television celebrity match featuring NFL quarterbacks Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers.
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