LA QUINTA, CA – JANUARY 23: Phil Mickelson looks on from the sixth tee box during the third round of the CareerBuilder Challenge In Partnership With The Clinton Foundation at the TPC Stadium course at PGA West on January 23, 2016 in La Quinta, California. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

Phil Mickelson is one of the most popular golfers in the world, and is also one of the most giving to those up-and-coming golfers out there. He is often seen playing practice rounds with young golfers and giving advice to those looking to break in to the PGA Tour.

Sometimes Mickelson is playing those practice rounds with some side bets going on, like any hack during a weekend round at the local course, just with a bigger wad of cash for the winner. However, Mickelson apparently had to teach a lesson to one youngster whom he recently played a practice round with.

Mickelson played 17-year-old Australian prodigy Ryan Ruffels in December, but the recently turned pro committed one of the ultimate sins on the tour — talking about the side bet.

Not only did Ruffels allegedly beat Mickelson by birdieng six of the last seven holes in their practice round, but he spoke about winning $5,000 as the side bet. The vet was none too happy about it and spoke out to try and clue the kid in to the ways of professional golf.

“He’s a very nice person,” Mickelson said during a news conference for The Farmers Open. “I met him a month ago and we played for the first time. He’s young, and he’s got some things to learn. One of them is you don’t discuss certain things.

“You don’t discuss specifics of what you play for. And you certainly don’t embellish and create a false amount just for your own benefit. So those things right there are — that’s high school stuff, and he’s going to have to stop doing that now that he’s out on the PGA Tour.”

Ruffels, who is in his first full season as a PGA Tour professional, did come out and try to tamper the amount, saying the report that started it all was full of inaccuracies.

It also appears his practice round was no fluke, as he finished Thursday’s opening round at The Farmers Open with a 2-under par 70.

Mickelson is in his second PGA Tour event of the season, and has followed up a third place finish at CareerBuilder Challenge with a first round 3-under par performance of his own on Thursday.

[Sporting News]

About Andrew Coppens

Andy is a contributor to The Comeback as well as Publisher of Big Ten site talking10. He also is a member of the FWAA and has been covering college sports since 2011. Andy is an avid soccer fan and runs the Celtic FC site The Celtic Bhoys. If he's not writing about sports, you can find him enjoying them in front of the TV with a good beer!