Pat Perez has opened up about the breakdown of his relationship with Phil Mickelson, saying he was deeply hurt by the alleged incident involving his former wife, Ashley Perez.
The former PGA Tour golfer had previously hinted at a major falling out with Mickelson but never disclosed the full details. Following Ashley Perez’s recent allegations, his earlier remarks have taken on new significance.
“I thought we were buddies,” Perez reportedly said while reflecting on the collapse of their friendship. “Phil crossed the line with me that is just uncrossable and unforgivable.”
According to Ashley Perez, the alleged incident occurred during a PGA Tour event in 2015 while she and Pat were staying with Mickelson in New York. She claims that after Pat briefly left the room, Mickelson showed her an explicit photograph and made inappropriate comments.
Ashley said she chose not to tell her husband immediately because she did not want to distract him during tournament week.
Years later, Pat Perez addressed the incident publicly for the first time during a podcast appearance, revealing that Mickelson had apologized but that the damage to their friendship could not be repaired.
“He knows he screwed up. He apologized for the action, but I cannot forgive him,” Perez said.
Ashley has since explained that she decided to come forward because she wants to encourage other women to speak openly about their experiences.
“I want to give other women the courage to share their truth,” she said.
Phil Mickelson’s attorney, Tom Clare, has strongly rejected many of the allegations.
“Some of the claims are outright false,” Clare said, adding that others revisit matters Mickelson has already acknowledged publicly or privately.
He also argued that combining disputed allegations with previously acknowledged mistakes creates “a false and misleading narrative.”
Mickelson has largely remained out of public view this season, citing a private family health matter as the reason for his absence from competitive golf. He also recently withdrew from The Open Championship.
At this time, the allegations remain disputed, and no criminal charges have been filed against Mickelson.
While the legal battle over the claims continues, Pat Perez’s comments suggest that, for him, the alleged incident permanently ended what he once believed was a close friendship.
“I thought we were buddies,” Perez said. “But some lines, once crossed, can’t be uncrossed.”