From Mickelson to mob, Walters knows being under fire

by Josh Peter, USA TODAY

CARLSBAD, Calif. — Billy Walters wept while talking about his brain-damaged son. He bristled while discussing investigations into his business affairs. And he shook his head in disgust when, after acknowledging he wagered years ago and sparingly on professional golf, he was asked how he’d respond if someone suspected he placed bets based on inside information he got from Phil Mickelson.

“I won’t even dignify that with a answer,” he said.

Fighting a lingering virus and a cloud of suspicion earlier this week, Walters, the prominent high-stakes sports gambler and longtime target of government scrutiny, granted USA TODAY Sports a sit-down interview. In the past two weeks, the Wall Street Journal reported that Walters, Mickelson and billionaire Carl Icahn are under investigation by federal agents for possible insider trading, although the New York Times, citing four people briefed on the matter, wrote Wednesday that Mickelson’s role has been overstated.

While Mickelson is in Pinehurst, N.C., this week to compete in the U.S. Open, Walters sat in a restaurant just outside San Diego and a 30-minute drive from Rancho Santa Fe Golf Club, where he and Mickelson are members and occasionally play golf together.

“So what do you want to know?” he asked.

This is part of what’s known about Walters and Mickelson:

Both are gamblers, Mickelson having wagered thousands of dollars on golf and sports and Walters having wagered millions of dollars on golf, sports and poker.

Both are shareholders in Callaway Golf, with Walters having forged a close friendship with Ely Callaway Jr., the late company founder, and Mickelson having signed a lucrative endorsement deal with the company in 2004.

Both are multimillionaires with private jets and luxury homes and now under federal investigation. At issue is what Walters knew when he purchased stock in Clorox, although Mickelson is not the focus of that investigation, according to the Times. Walters and Mickelson still face questions about trades they made in Dean Foods 2012.

Rest is here.

For more coverage and analysis of Billy Walters see here.