The claims leveled by Billy Walters about the gambling habits of Phil Mickelson can hardly be considered damaging to the six-time major winner’s reputation, chiefly because there’s no character left to impugn in a man who said he would overlook the murder of gays, the dismemberment of a journalist and sundry other human rights abuses in exchange for leverage over the PGA Tour. But the issues raised by Walters do constitute a reputational risk that others in golf would be advised to consider.
