Getty Image
Audio By Carbonatix
It’s no secret that Phil Mickelson is the mush of all mushes when it comes to gambling. Just two years ago, Mickelson’s gambling partner Billy Walters, revealed that Mickelson likely wagered over a billion dollars in the past three decades and puts his losses in the nine figures. While Lefty’s gambling days are purportedly behind him, he’s still showing the world how he came to lose so much money. And world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler helped prove the point with his runaway win in this weekend’s CJ Cup Byron Nelson.
Back in March, Mickelson called fellow LIV Golf player Joaquin Niemann the No. 1 player in the world after his second win of the season. He then followed it up by stating that the actual No. 1 golfer in the world, Scheffler, would not win a tournament before the Ryder Cup in September.
Here’s a hot take
Does Scottie win in 2025 before the Ryder Cup?
I don’t think so.— Phil Mickelson (@PhilMickelson) March 16, 2025
At the time, Scheffler had not won an event this season but finished top-25 in all four of his starts, including a top-10 finish in the Pebble Beach Pro-Am and a third-place finish at the Genesis Invitational. But there is a reason Scheffler is the world’s top-ranked golfer and has been since March of 2022. Scheffler quickly got his game in order, finishing second at the Houston Open on March 30 and fourth at The Masters.
This weekend, Scheffler put it all together. He tied a PGA Tour record by taking just 253 strokes to win the CJ Cup Byron Nelson by eight strokes over Erik van Rooyen. Scheffler finished a jaw-dropping 31-under for the week. Unsurprisingly, he’s now the co-favorite alongside Rory McIlroy to win the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow in two weeks, according to DraftKings.
As for Mickelson, fans were quick to have a laugh at the expense of the polarizing six-time major champion.
“To the surprise of absolutely no one, this hot take proved false,” Golf.com’s Zephyr Melton posted on X.
“Shocking that Phil lost so much money sports gambling throughout his career,” wrote another fan.
Even Mickelson had to acknowledge the error of his ways. So if you’re into betting on sports, here’s our free tip: fade Phil Mickelson.