Mickelson and Titleist divorce coming soon, Callaway soon...

[rt2566]

Phil Mickelson has been released 16 months early from his endorsement contract with Titleist, Golfweek has learned. Mickelson has not secured a new deal with another equipment company, although Callaway Golf appears to be the front runner.

According to sources familiar with Mickelson’s dealings with Titleist, Mickelson and his agent, Steve Loy of Gaylord Sports Management, began shopping for a new equipment deal before the Masters. After Mickelson won his green jacket, those sources say, he approached Titleist with a request to renegotiate his contract, which runs through December 2005 and is worth a reported $4 million per year.

Titleist refused, sources said, but discussions ensued to release Mickelson from his contract if he could find a better deal. Nearly five months later, the two parties have agreed to dissolve the relationship.

Officials from Titleist declined comment, and Callaway officials could not be reached. Loy also could not be reached for comment; he was expected to meet with Mickelson on Thursday.

Mickelson’s friend and swing coach, Rick Smith, said he was unaware that Mickelson had been seeking a new equipment deal.

“It’s not Phil shopping as much as it is Titleist not wanting to pay him,” said Smith, noting that Mickelson’s contract with the equipment company likely is laced with lucrative performance incentives, many of which have been reached during Mickelson’s banner 2004 season.

Mickelson has been an enthusiastic pitchman for Titleist products since signing with the Fairhaven, Mass.-based company in 2000, after a long run with Yonex Golf. He once touted Titleist’s Pro V1 ball as having a greater impact on golf than when steel replaced hickory in club shafts.

But the relationship has been strained at least since last September, when Mickelson – nearing the end of his most disappointing season as a pro – made headlines by attempting to pitch for baseball’s Toledo Mud Hens, the Detroit Tigers’ Triple-A farm club.

Mickelson also got into hot water last fall when he called his friend, Mike Galeski, who is head of PGA Tour player relations for Callaway, and left a voice mail praising Callaway for its new HX Tour ball and ERC Fusion driver. Galeski saved the message, and it was played for Callaway sales reps at a national sales meeting in September. When news of that episode reached Titleist, the company threatened legal action against Callaway and Mickelson. (Callaway stopped using the tape and Titleist did not litigate.) Earlier in 2003, Mickelson was involved in a controversy with Nike, when he said Tiger Woods was playing with “inferior equipment.”

Signing Mickelson would be a shot in the arm for Callaway, which has not performed up to shareholders’ expectations in recent months and fired CEO Ron Drapeau on Aug. 2. Callaway’s lead endorser on the PGA Tour is Charles Howell III. The signings of “young guns” such as Ty Tryon, Jeff Quinney, Ricky Barnes and Casey Wittenberg have done little to move the marketing needle.

Mickelson is enjoying unprecedented popularity this season on the heels of capturing his first major in April, and making runs at the three other majors. He won the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic in January, has 13 top-10 finishes in 18 starts and ranks second in PGA Tour earnings with more than $5.6 million.

Smith, who was with Mickelson as recently as Aug. 31, said he knew nothing of an impending Mickelson-Callaway deal.

“I would have heard that,” Smith said. “Callaway is not a done deal . . . If he has been released by Titleist, then he’ll be looking for the best ball and the best equipment he can find. I think he’ll be testing a lot of people’s equipment.”

Mickelson, expected to return to the Tour to play the Bell Canadian Open Sept. 9-12 before competing in the Ryder Cup, is in a unique position. His Tour earnings, plus multimillion dollar deals with Ford Motor Co. and the business consulting firm Bearing Point, allow him the luxury of taking time between equipment deals. He’s not likely to change clubs before season’s end.

Smith said he was surprised by how “underutilized” Mickelson had been in Titleist marketing.

“If there’s a guy who can shift market share, it’s Phil,” Smith said.

It’s well known, however, that Titleist – which paid Tiger Woods to play its ball and clubs early in his professional career before he went 100 percent Nike – strongly adheres to a credo that no individual endorser is more important than the brand.

The departure of Mickelson leaves Titleist with three full staff members among the top seven money earners on the PGA Tour in 2004: Ernie Els (No. 3), Adam Scott (6) Davis Love III (7).

[MIura5001]

I could see Phil with a combo set of satin hogan blades and CB's. This would probably also give him the chance to drop a non Titty driver in the bag.

[DoubleAA]

The possiblities are endless, PM could make a large impact on sales once he finds another brand to go.

It will be very interesting to see who he dives in with as far as his performance standards are concerned.

What if it was Cleveland or Mizuno :-D

:betty2: :bridgestone: :callaway: :cleveland: :epicure: :fourteen: :fuji: :gauge: :gd: :hiro: :hogan: :honman: :kasco: :macgregor: :miura: :mizuno: :naka: :nikewood: :onoff: :paradiso: :ping: :prgr: :titleist: :sonar: :srixon: :titleistjp: :tm: :tourstage: :scratch1:

[nearfall152]

This should shape up to be the talk of the silly season. I wonder if he'll switch everything at once, or slowly integrate the new company's stuff a-la Tiger.

[el_noonan]

Maybe he will play those "sweet" new fusion irons cally is bringing out. :-)

:roll:

[el_noonan]

Guys don't forget that these pros don't have to play what their company puts on the shelf for us to buy.

Look at Scotty Cameron he does not hide the fact that he makes putters for the pros we can't get (most of the time)

Tiger plays a nike driver that is not the retail version that we can't get.

The rac milled protos are a perfect example of this its an iron that some pros play that 99.9% will never touch.

What I am saying is it is not unlikely that Philly will sign with Callaway, use the HX tour and the fusion (more likley a new prototype the need to come out with alot like he did when he hit the 983x before the k and e came out) then maybe callaway will make a completly one-off set of irons specifally for Phil and just say thats too damn bad for the public. Any publicity is good publicity.

All any of these companies want is their name on a huge bg and to be associated with a pro. It is a buisness they are in reality (don't kid yourself) selling their brand or name if you will not an individual product

[Alcap26]

Befoe he signed with Titleist there was talk of him going to Ping...I mean he had a ton of success with their stuff in his college days. I would like to see him with a Ping bag b/4 he went to Callaway. I mean the new G2 and tour s59 irons and the choice of whatever ball he wanted.

[hornyjuan]

"SHOW ME THE MONEY"!!!!!

That will be Phil's deciding factor...and his agent will be saying that to whoever wants Philly.

[Breal]

I hope PM doesn't end up like Tiger when he switched to Nike. It might be a bad idea since he's finally got something dialed in for him. Look how good Tiger was when he played Titleist now ? Hmmm? we will see hope it doesn't do PM the same way. JMO

[slicktry]

Hey Ari, make him a custom set (duh!) of scratch blades. Put some neat stampings on it and make it a similar grind as the cast PM titty's.

Oh, yeah, win the lottery first..... :money: He wants to hear GREEN!!!!!! Worth a try though!

God Bless

Jer

P.S. hey Joe K., you can have the pleasure of fitting the set with Proj X, A good team effort all around!!!!!

[Tigersworld]

Titty driver out and TM R7 driver in the bag here come bigger grins from Phil. :tm:

Junior