WATCH: When Phil Mickelson and Zach Johnson performed an acrobatic stunt wearing team US colors at the 2018 Ryder Cup
Although Team USA didn't win the Ryder Cup trophy in 2018, a hilarious moment involving USA teammates Phil Mickelson and Zach Johnson remained in the memories of the golfing world long after the event. In 2018, Bubba Watson shared a video of them, captioning it:
“Phil Mickelson is a legend!!!”
The video came out on 30th September, the day Team Europe won the Ryder Cup. In the video, Phil Mickelson was seen kicking a water bottle placed on Zach Johnson's head. The LIV golfer, wearing American flag pants, showed off his acrobatic flexibility alongside Zach Johnson. As he successfully kicked the bottle, the crowd gathered around the golfers cheered for them.
This wasn't the first time Mickelson showed his kicking skills online. In the same year, a YouTube video for Mizzen and Main had the LIV golfer dancing and exhibiting his high-kick stunts in a light-hearted manner.
In the 2018 Ryder Cup, Team Europe won by a margin of 17.5-10.5. Mickelson lost two rounds during the match and was unable to win a single round. Justin Thomas made the biggest contribution by winning four out of the five rounds and losing one at the Friday foursomes.
Phil Mickelson's old friend claimed that the Lefty gambled with the 2012 Ryder Cup
Although Phil Mickelson's gambling expeditions were nothing new to the golf world, a piece of news shocked the golf community when Billy Walters made gambling accusations regarding Mickelson and the 2012 Ryder Cup. In his book Gambler: Secrets from a Life at Risk, Walters claimed that Mickelson attempted to place a $400,000 bet on the 2012 US team to win the Ryder Cup.
Walters added, “Phil’s annual income and net worth at the time, I had no problems with his betting. And still don’t. He’s a big-time gambler, and big-time gamblers make big bets. It’s his money to spend how he wants.” (via NBCSports)
After this news came out in 2023, Mickelson didn't sit back silent. He denied the claims and affirmed that he'd never bet on the tournament, stating on his X (formerly twitter) account:
“I never bet on the Ryder Cup. While it is well known that I always enjoy a friendly wager on the course, I would never undermine the integrity of the game…I have also been very open about my gambling addiction. 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 wrote.
The golfer appeared in a total of 12 Ryder cups and has a record of 18-22-7. Last year, Mickelson couldn't qualify for the biennial event and there's no confirmation whether he will be back in the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage.