Mickelson 'crushed' over Barclays CEO resignation
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Mickelson ‘crushed’ over Barclays CEO resignation

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Among Phil Mickelson's many sponsors, Barclays is a particularly special deal. Mickelson not only has a business relationship with the financial services company, but also a personal relationship with erstwhile CEO Bob Diamond.

“It won’t affect my relationship with Barclays from a business side,” Mickelson said Wednesday at The Greenbrier Classic. “Well, not contractually, but business relationships are all about personal relationships as well, especially in that industry. So over the course of the next 4-5 years, which is where contractually we’re together, we’ll have different personal relationships being made.”

Diamond resigned this week under allegations he led the company to manipulate the Libor interest rate - the rate at which institutions lend money to each other - beginning four years ago.

Mickelson and Diamond have teamed together in pro-am events in the past, including in the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.

“Personally I’m crushed because I have really enjoyed my time with Bob,” said Mickelson, who has represented Barclays since 2008. “I think the world of him as a person, as a CEO, and I think that these last 5-6 years that I’ve been associated with the bank, the time I’ve spent with him, I’ve really enjoyed and I’ve cherished and it’s been one of the most interesting parts of my career.”

Mickelson is believed to be skipping next week's Scottish Open. Barclays had been the sponsor of the tournament for 10 years before bowing out this year, with Mickelson playing seven times. Aberdeen Asset Management has taken over as title sponsor of the event.

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Ryan Ballengee

Ryan Ballengee is founder and editor of Golf News Net. He has been writing and broadcasting about golf for nearly 20 years. Ballengee lives in the Washington, D.C. area with his family. He is a scratch golfer...sometimes.

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