Phil Mickelson Refuses to Break Silence Over Grant Horvat's PGA Tour Snub
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
While most golf fans were still asleep back in the US, Phil Mickelson turned back the clock at Royal Portrush.
During the first round of the Open Championship, Lefty carded a solid 1-under 70, marking it his best round at an Open in seven years.
It included four birdies and a jaw-dropping bunker hole-out that had the crowd roaring.
Phil Mickelson's 70 (-1) at Royal Portrush marks his best round at an Open since 2018.
First sub-par major round since 2023.pic.twitter.com/Y1dUDjQiaz — Underdog Golf (@UnderdogGolf) July 17, 2025
"Yeah, that was a crazy one," Mickelson told reporters when asked about the "Phil magic" out there. "It was really one of maybe two poor shots I hit, I felt.
"I was just trying to save bogey, and I got lucky and it went in. I really hit a lot of good shots today, and it wasn't too stressful."
But while Mickelson's short-game magic was on full display, he wasn't as forthcoming when asked about Grant Horvat's PGA Tour snub.
Phil Mickelson denies commenting on Grant Horvat's PGA Tour snub
Horvat, the YouTube golf star and Mickelson's frequent collaborator, recently declined a sponsor's exemption to the Barracuda Championship after the PGA Tour refused to allow filming during tournament play.
DORAL, FLORIDA - APRIL 03: Captain Phil Mickelson of HyFlyers GC and Grant Horvat are seen during previews for LIV Golf Miami at Trump National Doral Miami on April 03, 2025 in Doral, Florida. (Photo...
DORAL, FLORIDA - APRIL 03: Captain Phil Mickelson of HyFlyers GC and Grant Horvat are seen during previews for LIV Golf Miami at Trump National Doral Miami on April 03, 2025 in Doral, Florida. (Photo byMore
Getty Images
When asked about the same on Thursday, Mickelson ignored the question.
"I've really enjoyed playing my matches with Grant," replied, according to a transcript. He's the nicest guy, and he's been very helpful for me to kind of get into the YouTube space, a space that I don't really know a lot about."
But when pressed further, "Do you think that's a missed opportunity?" Mickelson shut it down, stating, "I'm not going to go into the weeds on that. I just really like him."
The LIV professional, known for his outspoken takes on the PGA Tour, chose not to weigh in, perhaps because Horvat is not just a friend but also his business partner.
The incident first caught fire when Horvat, boasting 1.38 million YouTube subscribers, stated, "The only reason I was in the position to receive an invitation like this is because of YouTube and you all watching the videos, so if I'm going to play, we want film it."
Since then, the debate over who is correct is on.
What is your opinion? Let us know in the comment section below!
More Golf: Former PGA Tour pro apologizes to crowd after wild shot at British Open
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
26 minutes ago
- USA Today
Fanatics Sportsbook Promo: Get Up to $300 in Bonus Bets for NFL Odds, Props & Lines
It's Week 2 of NFL exhibition play, which is typically the last week that starting quarterbacks get on the field before the regular season begins. If you're thinking about wagering on any of this weekend's games, then you should check out the Fanatics Sportsbook promo that delivers up to $300 in bonus bets and FanCash to new customers. If you're a new bettor who's going to play in Michigan, New Jersey or Pennsylvania, you're guaranteed $300 in bonus bets just for playing $30 in bonus bets over the first three days. If you're a new bettor planning to play in Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia or West Virginia, you'll snag $250 in FanCash for making $50 in first bets in a five-day span. FanCash can be used as bonus bets or for top-grade Fanatics merch. New bettors in all states (except New York) can opt for the classic Fanatics Sportsbook welcome offer that grants you as much as $1,000 in No Sweat Bets over a 10-day span. In New York, when you sign up, you're rewarded with one 100% profit-boost token each day for 10 days in a row. You can double your profit for 10 days in a row. Fanatics Sportsbook offers a ton of ways to play on the 2025 NFL season, but they keep it basic for the preseason. For tonight's pair of games — the Tennessee Titans at the Atlanta Falcons and the Kansas City Chiefs at the Seattle Seahawks — you can bet on the spread, the moneyline and the over-under. But if you want to look ahead to Week 1 of the regular season or all the Team and Player Futures, then it's a great time to download the Fanatics Sportsbook app — one of the easiest-to-navigate sports betting apps around — to see what's available. Is anybody else feeling Cincinnati Bengals QB Joe Burrow as regular-season MVP? It's easy to find the latest odds on him and more than a hundred other NFL studs. Once you see something you like, come back here and click the nearest BET NOW button. It takes just two minutes to sign up with the Fanatics Sportsbook promo, one of the most lucrative sportsbook promos around. Fanatics Sportsbook Promo: Register Now & Claim Bonus Up to $300 Major League Baseball has something for everyone tonight. If you want to watch an intense rivalry with postseason ramifications and a Hall of Fame pitcher at the same time, then check out the San Diego Padres visiting the Los Angeles Dodgers. Michael King goes against the veteran superstar Clayton Kershaw. If you want to see the scoreboard turn into a pinball machine — then feast your eyes on the Arizona Diamondbacks at the Colorado Rockies. No matter which type of baseball you prefer, the Fanatics Sportsbook app has the latest odds and player props at your fingertips. Pretty much 36 holes are in the books for the $20 million BMW Championship, which is the middle stage of the $100 million FedExCup playoffs that determines this year's PGA Tour champion. With the Tour's top 50 players together for this one, we ought to have another thrilling finish like last week's FedEx St. Jude Classic. To pick your horse and get the best odds doing it, check out the latest numbers on the Fanatics Sportsbook app. Ready to get started? It's almost too easy. Tap any BET NOW button you see and then handle a handful of simple questions. Boom…you'll be all set with the Fanatics Sportsbook promo. Soon you'll reap either $300 in bonus bets, $250 in FanCash, up to $1,000 in No Sweat Bets or 10 days' worth of 100% profit-boost tokens. How to Unlock the Fanatic Sportsbook Promo Welcome Offers In just a few simple steps you can lock in your Fanatics Sportsbook promo offer. The Fanatics Sportsbook promo bet-and-get offers require a $10 qualifying bet on odds of -500 or better. In MI, NJ and PA, that qualifying bet returns $100 in bonus bets each day for three days, totaling $300 in bonus bets. In AZ, CO, IL, IN, LA, MA, MD, NC, OH, TN, VA and WV, the $10 qualifying wager earns $50 in FanCash each day for five days, totaling $250 in bonus bets or merchandise. In DC, IA, KS, KY, VT and WY, plus those in the above listed states, make a designated No Sweat Bet each day for the first 10 days. In the event of a loss, you will receive a matching amount of up to $100 each day, which would total $1,000 in FanCash. If you choose any of these options, you will be automatically opted-in on Day 1 but you must opt-in manually on the subsequent days. Bettors in New York get a 100% profit boost daily for 10 days. Bonus bets distributed through any of the Fanatics Sportsbook promo offers will be deposited within 72 hours of placing your qualifying bet. Divide up your bonus bets however you choose but use them within seven days of being deposited before they expire. Whichever offer you choose depending on your location, don't wait another moment. Tap any BET NOW button and sign up today!
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Elena Rybakina knocks out World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in Cincinnati Open quarterfinals
MASON, OH − There will be a new women's champion of the Cincinnati Open. Aryna Sabalenka, the WTA No. 1 and defending Cincinnati Open champion, fell in the quarterfinals Aug. 15 to No. 9 seed Elena Rybakina, 6-1, 6-4. More: Follow live: Cincinnati Open quarterfinals ATP, WTA results, schedule Rybakina, the World No. 10, has punched her ticket to the semifinals of a WTA 1000 event for the 11th time in her career and third time in 2025 (Dubai, Montreal). It's the furthest Rybakina, a 26-year-old from Kazakhstan, has ever gone in Mason, with her previous best being a quarterfinal run in 2022. She lost three of her previous four Cincinnati Open matches heading into the tournament this summer. More: 'It's a different world.' Who strings the racquets at Cincinnati Open tennis tournament? Rybakina was sharp throughout the Center Court match, breaking Sabalenka twice in the 6-1 opening set win. For the match, Rybakina won 81% of points on the first serve, captured 3-of-5 break points and notched 11 aces against just one double fault. A desperate Sabalenka came close to a pivotal break late in the second set, but Rybakina overcame a pair of break points, then held serve a few games later to eliminate WTA's top-ranked star. Sabalenka is viewed as the WTA's top hard-court player, but Rybakina has now beaten the hard-hitting No. 1 in their last three hard-court matches. Sabalenka holds a 7-5 all-time record against Rybakina. More: 'I'm gonna learn the rules.' Terence Atmane becoming Reds fan during Cincinnati Open run Rybakina now has seven career wins over World No. 1 opponents. Rybakina will face World No. 3 Iga Swiatek in the Cincinnati Open semifinals on Sunday, Aug. 17. Swiatek holds a 5-4 advantage over nine career meetings against Rybakina. Swiatek has not dropped a set in three matches so far at the Cincinnati Open, making quick work of No. 28 seed Anna Kalinskaya to open the day session on Center Court Aug. 15. The Enquirer will update this story. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Elena Rybakina beats Aryna Sabalenka in Cincinnati Open quarterfinals
USA Today
2 hours ago
- USA Today
Boston Celtics superfans react to the NBA 2025-26 regular season schedule release
The NBA and the Boston Celtics have released the schedule for the coming 2025-26 regular season, giving fans of the team and the sport something to engage with in the depths of the summer doldrums of the 2025 offseason. While there might not be games for the Celtics on Opening Night and Christmas Day for the first time in over a decade, the Celtics still have some potentially electric contests slated to go down this season, and have a few marquee games to play as well. From the game Boston will play against the Detroit Pistons on Martin Luther King Jr. Day to the first time former Celtics floor general Marcus Smart will play as a Los Angeles Laker on his former home court of TD Garden, this year's schedule has a lot of bright spots in what otherwise might be seen as a down year. The folks behind the official "Boston Celtics" YouTube channel put together a clip featuring team superfan Donny Wahlberg and a number of other Boston stalwarts reacting to the new regular season schedule. Check it out below! Listen to "Havlicek Stole the Pod" on: Spotify: iTunes: YouTube:
