Phil Mickelson reprimanded teen golfer Ryan Ruffels for exaggerating the details of a bet the two made during a recent practice round, saying there are certain things golfers don't talk about.
Ruffels, 17, just joined the U.S. PGA Tour as a highly touted future star, skipping college to compete against the best golfers in the world this year, noted the
Sydney Morning Herald, and what he told the Morning Herald about a bet he and Mickelson made during the practice round in December is what got him in trouble.
The
Golf Channel said the round between the current and budding golf stars took place Dec. 21 at Torrey Pines Golf Course in La Jolla, California and included Mickelson's brother, Arizona State University golf coach Tim Mickelson.
"We get on the first tee, it's pretty early in the morning and (Mickelson) says, 'I don't wake up this early to play for any less than $2,500,'" Ruffels told the Morning Herald.
Ruffels said Mickelson gave him "2-1 odds" and said he would give the teenager $5,000 if the youngster beat him. Ruffels, though, would only have to cough up $2,500 to him when he returned pro if Mickelson won.
"I was a few down through nine but then I birdied six of my last seven to win by one shot and took his money, so that was pretty cool," Ruffels said with a laugh.
The revelation did not sit well with Mickelson, according to the
San Diego Union Tribune. Asked Wednesday about Ruffels, Mickelson chided the teenager.
"He's young and he's got some things to learn," Mickelson said. "One of them is you don't discuss certain things. You don't discuss specifics of what you play for. And you certainly don't embellish and create a false amount just for your own benefit."
"So those things right there are – that's high school stuff, and he's going to have to stop doing that now that he's out on the PGA Tour."
The Golf Channel said questions arose whether the practice round was a recruiting effort by the Mickelsons, but Ruffels' handlers said the young golfer had already decided to turn pro before the meeting.
Ruffels said on social media that the original story contained "damaging inaccuracies" and the wager amount was "exaggerated out of proportion."
Related Stories:
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.