Phil Mickelson’s spectacular fall and golf’s infighting over Saudi riches | Ewan Murray

Bizarre perspective on kingdom's human rights abuses has the former golf poster boy's reputation left in tatters

It may be a stretch to say Phil Mickelson profited from the demise of Tiger Woods. Nonetheless, when Woods became embroiled in a 2009 infidelity scandal Mickelson, soon to win a third Masters, became the poster boy of the American golfing public. Mickelson's play was swashbuckling and successful, his image clean enough to eat one's dinner from. As Tiger lay embarrassed, grinning Phil captured hearts and minds.

It seems poetic, then, that Mickelson has suddenly fallen victim to golf's biggest reputational trashing since Woods hit the front page of the National Enquirer. And this, at a time when Woods's latest comeback from serious injury continues against a backdrop of huge external support. The trouble with going to great lengths to portray yourself as purer than the driven snow is that when a counter-narrative appears, sceptics will not be slow to shout about it.