In probably Phil Mickelson’s best-ever fireside chat the five-time Major winner completely enthralled golf viewers during the first part of two part interview on the Golf Channel.
Many of the ‘juicy bits’ had been leaked beforehand including Mickelson’s relationship with Tiger Woods and what he calls talking ‘smack’ with Woods.
However when the interview proper was screened we saw a side of Mickelson that even so many of his closer fans had never seen or heard before.
There was the tale of how his wife, Amy finally got pregnant not once but twice after two visits to Hawaii and rubbing a fertility god statue.
But then there was the tale Mickelson revealed when he wound-up Colin Montgomerie during the week of the 1997 Arnold Palmer Invitational.
Phil Mickelson admits Scotland’s Colin Montgomerie to be one of the favourite people he likes winding-up.
“I’ve carried out a lot of pranks and more than I should have but then I also have to be careful who I do it to because some people take it really well and other people don’t,” said Mickelson.
“One of my favourite targets is Monty because Monty takes it great, he really does.
“Monty’s a great dinner guest. He’s intelligent. He’s well spoken. He’s fun to be with and has a great sense of humour. So he’s been a target of mine a few times.
“I remember one time we were playing at Bay Hill (Arnold Palmer Invitational) and I am talking way back like 1997, and there is an article circulating that Monty wasn’t happy about his ‘bloody’ tee times on the PGA Tour.
“Monty’s quoted as saying: ‘I’m teeing off early. I am teeing off late but here I am No. 3 in the world and this is ridiculous’.
“So I saw this article in a US golf magazine so I head down to the on-site office that week of the PGA Tour and get a sheet of paper with the PGA Tour letterhead.
“So I begin to type up this letter addressed to Monty: “Dear Monty, We at the PGA Tour held an emergency meeting last night to discuss your concerns over your tee times, and we think we have a solution. Win a f…ing tournament! It was signed ‘Yours sincerely, PGA Tour Policy Board’.
“So, I left this letter in Monty’s locker on Tuesday night and then on Wednesday morning I see Monty on the practice putting, and I know he received the letter, as he hit this practice putt and he was mumbling and going eerrrr eerrr to his caddy.
“So I know what he was talking about and I kind of bantered up to him and said: ‘Did you get my note?’.
“Monty said: ‘It was you. It was you’.
“We chuckled and had a good laugh but you see, Monty is good at taking that stuff but then I got that streak from my mom. My mom is the one who brings a water pistol into the movie theatre, squirts it into the crowd and points to us (laughing).
“So that’s where I get my humorous side and while some people get it, some people don’t so you have to be careful”.
