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Phil Mickelson has revealed the harm and hurt his gambling addiction has caused to those closest to him.<\/p>\n
The 53-year-old six-time major winner, who opened up about his addiction in a lengthy post on social media, claimed it affected those he cared about \u201cin ways I wasn\u2019t aware or could fully understand\u201d.<\/p>\n
Mickelson wrote on X:\u00a0\u201cI won\u2019t be betting this year because I crossed the line of moderation and into addiction which isn\u2019t any fun at all.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe money wasn\u2019t ever the issue since our financial security has never been threatened, but I was so distracted I wasn\u2019t able to be present with the ones I love and caused a lot of harm. This lack of presence has been so hurtful.<\/p>\n
\u201c\u2018You\u2019re here but you\u2019re not with us\u2019, is something I\u2019ve been told often throughout my addiction. It affected those I care about in ways I wasn\u2019t aware or could fully understand.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Betting guru Billy Walters opened the lid on Mickelson\u2019s gambling habit in his autobiography, claiming the LIV Golf star name had placed bets of more than one billion dollars (\u00a3807m) in the last 30 years.<\/p>\n
Mickelson paid tribute to wife Amy for her support and urged gamblers not to \u201cconfuse your enablers as friends like I did\u201d.<\/p>\n
He said:\u00a0\u201cIt\u2019s like a hurricane is going on outside and I\u2019m isolated in a shelter oblivious to what was happening.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I came out there was so much damage to clean up that I just wanted to go back inside and not deal with it.<\/p>\n
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\u201cIf you ever cross the line of moderation and enter into addiction, hopefully you won\u2019t confuse your enablers as friends like I did.<\/p>\n
\u201cHopefully you won\u2019t have to deal with these difficult moments publicly so others can profit off you like I have.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut hopefully you will have a strong and supportive partner who is willing to help you through being your worst self, and through your worst moments like I have in Amy.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe has loved me and supported me through my darkest and most difficult times. I couldn\u2019t have gotten through this without her.\u201d<\/p>\n
He added: \u201cBecause of her love, support and commitment, I\u2019m back on track to being the person I want to be.<\/p>\n
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\u201cAfter many years of receiving professional help, not gambling, and being in recovery from my addictions, I\u2019m now able to sit still, be present in the moment and live each day with an inner calm and peace.<\/p>\n
\u201cI still have a lot of cleaning up to do with those I love the most but I\u2019m doing it slowly and as best I can.\u201d<\/p>\n