A decade-old accusation has thrust Phil Mickelson back into the spotlight—and this time, it’s not about what happened on the course. Ashley Perez, the ex-wife of professional golfer Pat Perez, is coming forward with an allegation that stretches back to 2015, when the couple was staying at Mickelson’s New Jersey villa during a tournament.
The account, shared with Skratch, paints a picture of a moment that crossed a clear line. According to Ashley, while the three were sharing red wine on the patio, Pat stepped away to use the restroom. That’s when Mickelson allegedly grabbed his phone, pulled up an explicit full-body nude photo where he was erect and flexing, and propositioned her to meet him privately that night while her husband slept. The boldness of the move—the casual timing, the directness of the invitation—speaks to a troubling confidence that his status might insulate him from consequences.
Ashley didn’t immediately tell Pat because she wanted to protect the tournament and keep things from getting messy. But once the event concluded, she came clean. While Pat never directly confronted Mickelson at the time, years later he aired his anger publicly, appearing on a podcast to describe his feelings with cutting words: I have a different hate for Phil than most people. And people won’t know the story. I’m not gonna go into the story again, but Phil crossed the line with me that is just uncrossable and unforgivable. He knows that he screwed up. He apologized for the action, but I cannot forgive him for it. Mickelson apparently apologized multiple times, including during a lengthy phone call with the couple, but the damage was irreversible.
This isn’t an isolated incident. The allegation lands in the midst of a broader pattern of misconduct allegations. Earlier this year, Mickelson was reportedly kicked out of a fancy country club after a female employee accused him of making unwanted sexual advances. His team’s response—a statement about disputed claims mixed with ones he’s already acknowledged—amounts to damage control rather than genuine accountability. They’re trying to muddy the waters by conflating categories, hoping that enough ambiguity will dilute the impact.
What’s striking here isn’t just the behavior itself, but the timeline. For eleven years, this story remained private. It took a decade and a half for Ashley to break her silence, and only after new allegations surfaced. That lag time is telling: it reflects the power imbalance that allows high-profile figures to operate with impunity, and the reluctance victims often feel to challenge someone with status and resources. Whether you follow golf or not, this is a moment worth paying attention to—not as gossip, but as a window into how accountability (or its absence) actually works in the world of professional sports.
About the Author
Ava Hart
Ava Hart is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.
