Add Billy Horschel to the listing of PGA Tour gamers not proud of Phil Mickelson’s not too long ago revealed feedback in regards to the Saudi Golf League.

Talking with Golf Channel’s Matt Adams on Adams’ Fairways of Life Podcast, Horschel known as Mickelson’s controversial feedback each “idiotic” and “false” whereas noting that Mickelson’s legacy has doubtless been tarnished.

Just a few days prior, an excerpt from a November interview that Mickelson did with author Alan Shipnuck was launched. In that interview, Mickelson talked about overlooking the Saudis’ poor human-rights file in an effort to achieve leverage on the PGA Tour. These ideas have been made public after Mickelson accused the Tour of “obnoxious greed” and mentioned the Tour was withholding $20 billion in digital belongings from the gamers.

“They have been a bit of bit idiotic to let you know the reality,” Horschel mentioned. “I believe a few of the statements he made are lies, are false, are – I don’t know the place he acquired his data from. It’s unbelievable that he would say sure issues as a result of I believe he does perceive how the PGA Tour works; he’s had clearly extra expertise and extra time and extra communications with Tim Finchem and Jay Monahan through the years. And so, for him to say sure issues about obnoxious greed and the PGA Tour sitting on $20-30 billion and a few of these different issues that are full lies as a result of I’m within the PAC conferences. I’ll not see all of the numbers {that a} participant director may even see in board conferences, however I see sufficient to know that the cash is getting used appropriately and it’s getting used how the PGA Tour says it’s. It’s powerful as a result of this man – I say this man – Phil has accomplished so nice, and he’s been an excellent ambassador to the sport of golf, and I truthfully really feel that he’s hurting his popularity and he’s tarnishing his legacy a bit of bit.”

Mickelson’s quote in Shipnuck’s article – “They’re scary motherf—ers to become involved with. We all know they killed [Washington Post reporter and U.S. resident Jamal] Khashoggi and have a horrible file on human rights. They execute individuals over there for being homosexual. Understanding all of this, why would I even take into account it? As a result of this can be a once-in-a-lifetime alternative to reshape how the PGA Tour operates. They’ve been capable of get by with manipulative, coercive, strong-arm techniques as a result of we, the gamers, had no recourse. As good a man as [PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan] comes throughout as, until you’ve leverage, he received’t do what’s proper. And the Saudi cash has lastly given us that leverage. I’m unsure I even need [the SGL] to succeed, however simply the thought of it’s permitting us to get issues accomplished with the [PGA] Tour.” – didn’t sit effectively with a number of prime gamers at Riviera.

“Looks like a little bit of a fairly, you understand, egotistical assertion,” mentioned Justin Thomas.

Added Rory McIlroy: “I don’t wish to kick somebody whereas he’s down, clearly, however I assumed they have been naïve, egocentric, egotistical, ignorant. It was simply very stunning and disappointing. Unhappy. I’m certain he’s sitting at dwelling form of rethinking his place and the place he goes from right here.”

Horschel believes that Mickelson’s newest controversy may have an effect on his prospects of being a U.S. Ryder Cup captain. Whereas Horschel has by no means performed a Ryder Cup and isn’t aware about captaincy conferences, he, and lots of others, had anticipated Mickelson, an assistant captain finally yr’s matches at Whistling Straits, to get the nod for the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black.

“It’s going to be fascinating,” Horschel mentioned. “Clearly, that’s a choice with the PGA of America and the previous captains. … I might say at this level proper now, if that call needed to be made, if the Ryder Cup was subsequent yr for Bethpage, and all of us thought he was going to get it and that call was going to be made, it might be hard-pressed for me to see him really getting that spot. I might assume they’d form of say, hey, we simply can’t go down that route. However, you understand, we’re three or 4 years away from that timeline, and issues might be corrected, and other people can admit fallacious and do issues the correct means going ahead. On the similar time, how a lot does Phil really wish to be captain? That’s an sincere query. … If that’s what he actually needs to be is a Ryder Cup captain, perhaps there’s a way for him to form of repair something that has harm him from presumably being in that spot.”