Phil Mickelson’s legal issues span roughly a decade and fall into five distinct matters: a 2016 Securities and Exchange Commission insider trading settlement, his short-lived role as a named plaintiff in the LIV Golf antitrust lawsuit against the PGA Tour, published allegations about the scale of his sports betting, the sponsorship collapse that followed his 2022 remarks about Saudi Arabia, and a 2026 misconduct allegation at a private California golf club that cost him his membership. Only one of them produced a payment to the government, and none has produced criminal charges.
The 2016 SEC Insider Trading Settlement
The clearest legal resolution on Mickelson’s record is a civil securities matter. In 2016, the SEC named him as a “relief defendant” in an insider trading case involving sports gambler Billy Walters and former Dean Foods chairman Thomas Davis. The agency alleged Davis passed confidential information about a Dean Foods spin-off to Walters, who tipped Mickelson. Mickelson bought $2.4 million in Dean Foods stock on the tip and sold at a profit of roughly $931,000.1CNN. FBI Leak in Phil Mickelson Case
As a relief defendant, Mickelson was accused only of profiting from someone else’s illegal conduct, not of violating securities laws himself. He agreed to disgorge the $931,000 in profits plus about $105,000 in interest. He was not criminally charged. Analysts attributed the lack of criminal exposure to a 2014 appeals court ruling that required proof a defendant had firsthand knowledge of the source of inside information.2ABC7. Phil Mickelson to Repay $1 Million in SEC Insider Trading Case The SEC alleged Mickelson owed Walters gambling debts at the time, which supplied Walters’s motive to share the information.3SEC. SEC Complaint: Walters, Davis, and Mickelson
Walters was convicted of insider trading in 2017 and sentenced to five years in federal prison and a $10 million fine.4Golf Digest. Billy Walters Book: Mickelson Bets and Financial Losses Through his management, Mickelson said he felt “vindicated” by not being charged but took “full responsibility for the decisions and associations” that drew him into the case.2ABC7. Phil Mickelson to Repay $1 Million in SEC Insider Trading Case
The LIV Golf Antitrust Lawsuit
In August 2022, Mickelson was the lead-named plaintiff in a federal antitrust suit filed by eleven professional golfers against the PGA Tour in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. The case, filed as Mickelson et al v. PGA Tour, Inc. and later recaptioned Jones v. PGA Tour, Inc. (Case No. 5:22-cv-04486), was assigned to Judge Beth Labson Freeman.5CourtListener. Jones v. PGA Tour, Inc. The plaintiffs had been indefinitely suspended by the Tour for competing in the Saudi-funded LIV Golf Invitational Series and alleged the Tour was using monopoly power to crush a rival league.6Arnold & Siedsma LLP. Suspended PGA Tour Members File Suit Against PGA Tour
The complaint invoked Sections 1 and 2 of the Sherman Antitrust Act and challenged the Tour’s “Media Rights Regulation” and “Conflicting Event Regulation,” which together restricted members from appearing in non-Tour media and from playing in rival events held during Tour tournament weeks.7Fordham Journal of Corporate and Financial Law. Get Off My Green: LIV Golf’s Antitrust Claim Against PGA Tour Explained
Mickelson’s time as a plaintiff was brief. On September 27, 2022, he voluntarily withdrew from the case along with Talor Gooch, Ian Poulter, and Hudson Swafford. He said LIV Golf’s own involvement in the litigation meant “the players’ rights will be protected” without him.8ESPN. Phil Mickelson, 3 Other Golfers Ask to Be Dismissed as Plaintiffs in LIV Golf Lawsuit To Golf Digest he was more direct: “The only reason for me to stay in it is damages, which, I don’t really want or need anything.”9Golf Digest. Mickelson Exits PGA Tour Lawsuit
The underlying case ended without a ruling on the merits. After the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, and the Saudi Public Investment Fund announced a framework agreement in June 2023, the parties stipulated to dismissal with prejudice on June 16, 2023, and the case was formally terminated on November 14, 2023.10Front Office Sports. LIV Golf, PGA Tour Seek Dismissal of Federal Antitrust Case5CourtListener. Jones v. PGA Tour, Inc. A definitive merger has never been reached.11Golfweek. LIV Golf Timeline
Mickelson signed with LIV Golf on a contract reported at $200 million, the second-largest deal in the league.12Fox Sports. LIV Golf Contracts, Payouts, and Prize Money
Gambling Allegations
The 2016 SEC filing acknowledged gambling debts, but the scale of Mickelson’s betting became a public issue in 2023 when Billy Walters published a memoir. Walters alleged Mickelson’s losses approached $100 million and that Mickelson had wagered more than $1 billion over three decades. By Walters’s account, between 2010 and 2014 Mickelson placed over 7,000 bets on football, basketball, and baseball, including single wagers of $220,000. Walters also described offshore betting accounts with limits of up to $400,000 on college and NFL games.4Golf Digest. Billy Walters Book: Mickelson Bets and Financial Losses CNN reported it could not independently verify the claims.13CNN. Phil Mickelson Gambling Addiction
The most legally sensitive allegation involved the 2012 Ryder Cup. Walters wrote that Mickelson asked him to place a $400,000 bet on the U.S. team while Mickelson was a member of that team, and that Walters refused, warning it could prompt a lifetime ban comparable to Pete Rose’s. Mickelson denied the allegation.14CBS Sports. Phil Mickelson Details Gambling Addiction Recovery In 2023 Mickelson publicly acknowledged a gambling addiction he described as a “hurricane” that “caused a lot of damage” to his personal relationships, said he had received professional help, and insisted his family’s “financial security has never been threatened.”13CNN. Phil Mickelson Gambling Addiction No criminal charges or regulatory actions have been brought over the betting conduct described in the book.
Saudi Arabia Remarks and Sponsor Losses
The reputational blow that reshaped Mickelson’s career was not a lawsuit but comments published in February 2022. In an interview with biographer Alan Shipnuck, Mickelson acknowledged Saudi Arabia’s “horrible record on human rights,” cited the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, and noted the kingdom executes people for being gay, then said: “Knowing all of this, why would I even consider it? Because this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reshape how the PGA Tour operates.”15New York Times. Phil Mickelson and Saudi Golf Tour
KPMG, Workday, Amstel, and Callaway all ended or suspended their partnerships with him. Callaway said it “does not condone Phil Mickelson’s comments.” He stepped down as host of the American Express tournament, apologized for what he called “reckless” words, and announced he would step away from golf for a period.16CBS Sports. Phil Mickelson’s Saudi Arabia Comments Prove Costly as Sponsors Cut Ties Rory McIlroy called him “naive, egotistical, selfish, ignorant.”17The Guardian. Phil Mickelson’s Spectacular Fall and Golf’s Infighting Over Saudi Riches No litigation arose from the sponsor exits.
The Farms Golf Club Misconduct Allegation
In the spring of 2026, a female employee at The Farms Golf Club in Rancho Santa Fe, California, accused Mickelson of “nonconsensual and inappropriate physical contact” at the clubhouse. According to reports, she rejected his advances and reported the incident to her supervisors. The club confronted Mickelson on the course during a round, told him to leave, and conducted an independent investigation.18Golf Digest. Phil Mickelson Alleged Inappropriate Contact With Female Club Employee
The Farms terminated his membership and removed a clubhouse display featuring his accomplishments. The club said it had “provided immediate and ongoing support to the staff member” and “took decisive action.”19The Guardian. Phil Mickelson Membership Cancelled at The Farms Following Alleged Misconduct A spokesperson for Mickelson said “any misunderstanding has been cleared up,” and attorney Tom Clare said the allegations were “squarely contradicted by objective, video evidence.” The club confirmed that no video cameras exist in the area where the incident allegedly took place.20CBS Sports. Phil Mickelson Loses Club Membership After Alleged Non-Consensual Inappropriate Contact
As of June 2026, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed it received no report of sexual assault at The Farms and has no open investigation. Mickelson has not filed a defamation suit, though his attorney said he is “determined to hold accountable any publication or individual trafficking in speculation or false rumors.”21Los Angeles Times. Phil Mickelson Lawyer Says Video Evidence Refutes Sexual Misconduct Allegation
Where Things Stand Now
At 55, Mickelson has been largely absent from competitive golf in 2026. He played only one of the first seven LIV Golf events, finishing tied for 48th in South Africa, withdrew from the 2026 PGA Championship despite a lifetime exemption, and skipped the Masters citing a “family health matter.” A replacement has taken his spot on the HyFlyers roster, and under current LIV rules it is uncertain whether he can reclaim it later in the season. Asked about his schedule, Mickelson said: “I wish I could. I can’t unfortunately. I’m hoping to play the rest of the year after that but I honestly don’t know.”22Golfweek. LIV Golf Virginia: Phil Mickelson Not Playing