Podcast
Freakonomics Radio
Alan Shipnuck, a longtime golf journalist, wrote a biography of Phil Mickelson and describes his interview with Mickelson about the Saudi-backed LIV Golf tour. Mickelson was candid about his feelings towards the Saudis and admitted that the tour was "sportswashing" but still saw it as a good opportunity.
I approached Phil face to face three times, asked him to sit for interviews, and he ultimately said no, which is his prerogative. I didn't really need him.
— Episode: Extra: What Is Sportswashing — and Does...
Episode: Extra: What Is Sportswashing — and Does It Work? (...
Alan Shipnuck, a longtime golf journalist, wrote a biography of Phil Mickelson and describes his interview with Mickelson about the Saudi-backed LIV Golf tour. Mickelson was candid about his feelings towards the Saudis and admitted that the tour was "sportswashing" but still saw it as a good opportunity.
I approached Phil face to face three times, asked him to sit for interviews, and he ultimately said no, which is his prerogative. I didn't really need him.
I thought it would benefit him to tell his side of every story and it would have been fun, but that wasn't his decision and that was fine.
So I just kept working on the book.
I'm not even sure I want this league to succeed but it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reshape the business of professional golf and I have to take it.
And he was quite candid about his feelings towards the Saudis. He called them scary motherfuckers. And he admitted that it's just sports washing and that we know they killed Jamal Khashoggi and we know the execute people for being gay over there. But nevertheless, it's just too good opportunity to pass up.
