Charlie Kirk death leading to ‘disgusting rhetoric,’ LIV Golf star says

LIV Golf star Phil Mickelson has been among the top sports figures to speak about the assassination of conservative influencer Charlie Kirk.

Kirk, 31, was shot and killed while speaking at an event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. The shooting sparked a 33-hour manhunt and led to the arrest of Tyler Robinson in connection with the incident on Friday. Mickelson appeared to be keeping a close eye on the rhetoric that has been used in the days since Kirk’s killing.

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Phil Mickelson of HyFlyers GC walks on the first green during the semifinals of the LIV Golf Michigan Team Championship at The Cardinal at Saint John’s Resort on Aug. 23, 2025. (Aaron Doster/Imagn Images)

“The assassination of Charlie Kirk is bringing out some of the best in humanity and it’s also exposing some of the worst,” he wrote on X in response to a statement from the president of the Oxford Union. “The unification, love, support, and outcry on his behalf throughout the world is heartwarming. 

“The number of people supporting Tyler Robinson’s appalling behavior has opened my eyes to a side of extremism with a moral superiority complex that has also shaken my belief in people in general. I hope they are held accountable for their disgusting rhetoric.”

EX-JETS STAR ‘DISGUSTED’ WITH NEW JERSEY TOWN FOR FAILING TO HONOR CHARLIE KIRK

Mickelson also shared a post featuring one of Kirk’s debates. The talk with another student featured Kirk shutting down a college-aged man and his “hate” for billionaires like President Donald Trump and Elon Musk.

“His ability to use words and his intellect to win debates is what scared them,” Mickelson wrote.

A general view of a message in memory of Charlie Kirk is shown on the video board before the game between the Dallas Cowboys and the New York Giants at AT&T Stadium on Sept. 14, 2025. (Raymond Carlin III/Imagn Images)

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On Sunday, the NFL world honored Kirk with moments of silence before teams played their games. There were only a handful of teams not to have a moment to pay tribute to Kirk.

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