Mickelson Accuser Talks the 'Evil' Among Us

The woman at the center of new misconduct allegations against golfer Phil Mickelson says she's standing "next to the millions of women who have been silenced." Ashley Perez, the estranged wife of LIV golfer Pat Perez, took to Instagram Sunday for her first public comment since her allegations against the six-time major winner were detailed in a Friday piece on golf site Skratch, per People. In the piece, Perez recounts a 2015 encounter during the Barclays tournament in which she alleges Mickelson showed her a nude photo of himself and suggested she visit his bedroom later that night.

Perez said she stayed silent at the time because her husband was still competing, then told him after the event; Pat Perez later alluded to the interaction in a 2022 podcast interview, saying he had a "hate for Phil," who did something "unforgivable." In Sunday's post, Ashley Perez thanked supporters, saying she was speaking out among a culture that has silenced women "to protect the evil and darkness that lurks amongst us," per Heavy.com. "My heart goes out to the countless other victims," she added. Mickelson's camp has pushed back sharply, with a spokesperson calling some allegations false and others old news, arguing they create a "false and misleading narrative" about a man working "to become the husband, father, and man his family deserves."