Callaway to 'Pause' Longtime Relationship With Phil Mickelson

Phil Mickelson has played and endorsed Callaway clubs since 2004. At least three other sponsors have cut ties with Mickelson in the past week.

Longtime Phil Mickelson partner Callaway said Friday night it plans to “pause’’ its relationship with the Hall of Fame golfer, who has played and endorsed the clubs since 2004.

Mickelson has seen other sponsors KPMG and Amstel Light cut ties with him, while Workday said it will not renew its deal when it expires. All of this is in the wake of comments Mickelson made that were recently reported by the Fire Pit Collective website that were critical of the PGA Tour and backing the efforts of a Saudi-based potential golf league.

“Callaway does not condone Phil Mickelson’s comments and we were very disappointed in his choice of words – they in no way reflect our values or what we stand for as a company,’’ Callaway said in a statement it first released to Golf Channel. “Phil has since apologized and we know he regrets how he handled recent events. We recognize his desire to take some time away from the game and respect that decision. At this time, we have agreed to pause our partnership and will re-evaluate our ongoing relationship at a later date.’’

Mickelson is no longer featured on Callaway's website or its YouTube channel.

Mickelson, 51, who last year became the oldest player to win a major championship when he captured the PGA at Kiawah, was highly critical of the PGA Tour in a Golf Digest story earlier this month and again in the Fire Pit interview that was conducted in November as part of an upcoming book on Mickelson.

The golfer acknowledged that he was hoping that his conversations with the Saudi-backed LIV Golf Investments and CEO Greg Norman – who is the commissioner of a to-be-named rival league – might be used as leverage to get the PGA Tour to better compensate its players.

Mickelson issued a lengthy apology on Tuesday in which he attempted to explain his motives and said “I have incredible partners, and these relationships mean so much more to me than a contract,” he said. “The last thing I would ever want to do is compromise them or their business in any way, and I have given all of them the option to pause or end the relationship as I understand it might be necessary given the current circumstances.”

He also said that he planned to take “some time away to prioritize the ones I love most and work on being the man I want to be.’’

Mickelson last played on the PGA Tour at the Farmers Insurance Open, where he missed the cut. The following week he played at the Saudi International, his last start, and tied for 18^th. The 45-time PGA Tour winner is ranked 42^nd in the world.