Ashley Perez, the ex-wife of professional golfer Pat Perez, has publicly accused Phil Mickelson of lewd behavior, citing a 2015 incident at the Barclays tournament in New Jersey.
Perez told Skratch that Mickelson invited her and her then-husband to stay at his villa near Liberty National Golf Club. While the couple socialized with Mickelson on the patio one evening, Pat Perez briefly left the room. Ashley Perez alleges that Mickelson then showed her a full-body nude photograph of himself with an erection and propositioned her.
“Phil says to me, ‘I’m going to leave my bedroom door open tonight. When Pat falls asleep, I want you to come see me,'” she recalled.
Perez said she did not immediately inform her husband to avoid disrupting his tournament play but shared the details afterward.
The story reportedly circulated among players, becoming something of an urban legend on the PGA Tour. Mickelson later apologized to Pat Perez during a corporate outing and again in a recorded 26-minute phone call following public comments Perez made in 2022.
This allegation is part of a broader pattern of reported misconduct detailed in recent accounts, including Mickelson’s departures from exclusive golf clubs amid claims of inappropriate behavior.
Ashley Perez, who filed for divorce from Pat in 2023, spoke out to challenge what she described as a culture of silence around powerful figures in the sport.
“There is a culture of silence that keeps women from coming forward,” Ashley said. “I want to give other women the courage to share their truth.”
Mickelson’s representatives have stated that some allegations are false while others revisit acknowledged mistakes, emphasizing his focus on family matters at this time. The 56-year-old golfer has limited his competitive schedule recently due to personal reasons.
