“I want to give him the benefit of the doubt” - Billy Walters clears the air on Phil Mickelson’s controversial $400,000 wager on the 2012 Ryder Cup
Billy Walters has said that he wanted to give Phil Mickelson the benefit of the doubt, suggesting that Mickelson may not have placed a bet on the 2012 Ryder Cup.
Last week, an excerpt from Walters' upcoming book, "Gambler: Secrets from a Life at Risk," was made public, stating that the veteran golfer asked him to place a $400,000 bet on the US beating Europe in the 2012 Ryder Cup.
The revelation caused huge controversy, to the extent that Mickelson had to provide a public clarification. However, it is still unclear whether Mickelson actually placed the bet or simply expressed the intention to do so.
Walters gave Phil the benefit of the doubt while narrating the incident on the No Laying Up podcast this week. He said he couldn't believe that a Ryder Cup team member was asking him to bet on the Ryder Cup itself. He added that until that time, they hadn't had any discussion related to betting on any sport.
Walters was quoted as saying via Golf.com:
"So he’s up at the Ryder Cup at Medinah, he calls me up, he wants to bet $400,000 on the USeteam to win the Ryder Cup.”
Walters asked Phil if he was in his right mind to say this, citing Pete Rose's example, who faced a lifetime ban after betting while still being an active player.
He continued:
"I said, ‘You’re going to be a modern-day Arnold Palmer. Don’t even — I don’t want any part of it.’"
However, Walters added that Phil understood what he was going to do and didn't put the bet as it would have ended his career if proven. He cleared that he never said that the golfer placed a bet on Ryder Cup.
He continued:
"I just said he called me and attempted to make the bet. He just probably got carried away with the moment, he was so sure they were going to win — but I don’t think he was thinking when he called me.
“I want to give him the benefit of the doubt, I think it was just an error in judgment. I think he got excited. But it happened. There’s no question that it happened. It’s the truth."
What did Phil Mickelson say about the Ryder Cup betting allegations?
The six-time major winner provided clarification on Twitter last week, stating that he had never placed a bet on the Ryder Cup and expressing concerns about the integrity of the sport.
"I have also been very open about my gambling addiction," he wrote. "I have previously conveyed my remorse, took responsibility, have gotten help, have been fully committed to therapy that has positively impacted me and I feel good about where I am now."
Mickelson has never shied away from acknowledging his gambling addiction in the past and has stated that he is actively working on it. Earlier, his biographer Alan Shipnuck claimed that he lost $40 million in gambling between 2010 and 2014.