How Phil Mickelson lost $5,000 to Ryan 

Ruffels, a 17-year-old professional 

FROM GOLF DIGEST

Ryan Ruffels, a 17-year-old Australian, is turning professional and is already ahead of the game, courtesy of taking $5,000 off Phil Mickelson on the golf course.

 “We get on the first tee, it’s pretty early in the morning and he says, ‘I don't wake up this early to play for anything less than $2500,’” Ruffels said in this story by Matt Murnane of the Sydney Morning Herald. 

Mickelson made him a deal, that if Ruffels won, Mickelson would give him $5,000, but if Mickelson won, Ruffels would owe him $2,500 once he turned pro. 

“I was a few down through nine but then I birdied six of my last seven to win by one shot and took his money, so that was pretty cool,” Ruffels said. 

Ruffels will make his professional debut on the US PGA Tour at the Farmers Insurance Open.

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Ryan Ruffels, playing in the RBC Canadian Open as an amateur last summer.

CAPTAIN CLARKE'S STRESS REHEARSAL

“The Europe players did not require being introduced one by one to the Queen of Malaysia here on Thursday to take the EurAsia Cup seriously. Their captain has been drumming it into them all week,” James Corrigan of the Telegraph writes. 

“In the team room, [European captain] Darren Clarke has informed his 12 professionals and their caddies that defeat by Asia in this three-day match is not on the agenda, and when sitting down with the Ulsterman here at Glenmarie Golf Club it became clear that he has put everything into his first experience of captaincy. Indeed, never mind a Ryder Cup dress rehearsal, this could be described as a stress rehearsal.”