Ashley Perez, the ex-wife of professional golfer Pat Perez, recently detailed to Scratch’s Alan Shipnack a 2015 incident with Phil Mickelson, in which Mickelson allegedly showed Perez a full-length nude photo of himself and asked him to “come see me” after Pat fell asleep that night.
According to Ashley Perez, Mickelson contacted her before the 2015 Barclays Championship and suggested that she and Pat stay at his vacation home at Liberty National Golf Club during the tournament. After dinner one night, they were drinking wine together on the balcony when Mickelson took the lead.
Ashley said when Pat excused herself to go to the bathroom, Mickelson pulled out his cell phone and showed her a photo of himself naked, flexing one bicep and showing an erection. Ashley claims: “Phil said to me, ‘I’m going to leave my bedroom door open tonight and I want you to come see Pat when he’s asleep.'”
She hesitated and said nothing to her husband as he returned from the bathroom. “We were staying next door to Phil, and Pat still had to play in a tournament, so we didn’t want to get into trouble,” she says. She told Pat about the photo at the end of the tournament. Although he did not confront Mickelson directly, as time went on, Pat told so many people about what allegedly happened, and they also told so many other people, that Mickelson’s genitals became an urban legend at the Tour. Mickelson eventually apologized to Pat during a company outing at the Madison Club in La Quinta, California.
Mickelson also corroborated this story by apologizing again to Pat in a lengthy phone call that was recorded by Ashley Perez and played to Shipnack. Perez’s story is the latest in a growing number of publicized lewd acts by Mickelson, a once-beloved golfer who is being pushed out of the game.
Just before the 2026 US Open, the following report was made: Phil Mickelson loses membership Earlier this year, he was charged with “nonconsensual and inappropriate” conduct toward a female employee at The Farms Golf Club in Rancho Santa Fe, California. Shipnack said Mickelson had quit two other clubs in the area in recent years, the Madison Club and The Bridges, and detailed other instances in which Mickelson had proposed to women or behaved inappropriately.
Perez’s case in particular is unique because it is the first article in which someone is on record to name and discuss Mickelson’s actions. Perez told Shipnack that the reason she wanted to go public with her story was to encourage other women to not be afraid to share their experiences with powerful men.
“There’s a culture of silence that prevents women from coming forward,” Ashley says. “I want to give other women the courage to share their truth. In Phil’s case, I feel like this pattern has been going on for years, but because of Phil Mickelson, people have been afraid to go public. We give golfers so much praise and money that they think they’re gods. They think they’re untouchable, just because they’re pro athletes. , you’re not exempt from being polite in society. In Phil’s case, you’re dealing with a selfish narcissist. I’ve been married to one before, and I’m going to keep going until Phil gets caught. In fact, to change Phil’s behavior, you have to understand the trauma he caused to many people in different parts of his life.”
Mickelson’s attorney, Tom Clare, issued a statement to Scratch suggesting that some of the claims are false and that others are something Mickelson is already working on, but did not provide details on what would fall into each category.
“While some of the allegations being circulated about Mr. Mickelson are false, others reiterate mistakes he has already acknowledged in public and private,” Claire said. “Putting a disputed claim next to one that he had does not make it credible; instead, it promotes a false and misleading narrative. No person, article, or book can present an accurate and complete personal story of the life Mr. Mickelson and his family lived. His story, struggle, and recovery belong to him and those who have shared it intimately with him.”
“Recovery is not a straight line. Throughout their 35-year relationship, his wife, Amy Mickelson, has supported Mr. Mickelson and his family with extraordinary grace, steadfast love, and the belief that people are measured not just by their mistakes but by what they do to right themselves.” His priority is to be a worthy husband, father, and man for his family. Now, that means focusing all his efforts on his family’s private health matters. He understands that while some of his life is public, his family’s private matters are not. ”
Mickelson has only played in one professional event this season, finishing 48th at LIV Golf South Africa in March. He cited family health issues as the reason for his absence from LIV Golf, the Masters, and the PGA Championship, which he was exempted from as a past champion. His eligibility for the British Open Championship at Royal Birkdale is in doubt, as he chose not to try to qualify for the US Open, but if he does not play, it will be the first year since 1989 that he did not play in at least one major championship.
