Getty
Phil Mickelson of Hyflyers GC looks on from the third green on day one of LIV Golf Indianapolis at The Club at Chatham Hills on August 15, 2025.
The assassination of Charlie Kirk, conservative activist and founder of Turning Point USA, has rippled far beyond politics into the world of sports. Kirk’s death during a speaking engagement in Utah shocked the nation and immediately raised questions about the state of civil discourse in America. As news spread, figures across the sporting spectrum weighed in, offering condolences, outrage, and reflections on what this tragedy says about the current moment.
Within golf, several prominent voices emerged. Phil Mickelson and Anthony Kim are just a few of those voices who used their platforms to respond, setting off a wave of discussion both inside and outside the golfing community.
Mickelson’s Statement on Free Speech and Violence
Mickelson’s response quickly became one of the most widely circulated messages from the golf world. Though he acknowledged never having met Kirk, Mickelson described the killing as an “atrocity” and focused his statement on the principle of free speech.
In a post on X, Mickelson wrote that “open debate is healthy and essential” but that responding to disagreement with violence is “sick, deranged, and creates a greater division that becomes harder to overcome.” His comments struck a balance between condemning the attack and urging a return to civility in public life.
I never met Charlie Kirk but I am gutted by this atrocity. Open debate is healthy and essential. Free speech is a constitutional right. Violence for disagreeing with someone is sick, deranged, and creates a greater division that becomes harder to overcome.
— Phil Mickelson (@PhilMickelson) September 11, 2025
Kim Condemns Online Mockery
Kim, who recently rejoined the professional golf spotlight through LIV Golf, turned his attention to a different aspect of the fallout: online mockery of Kirk’s death.
Reports surfaced that a nurse had publicly mocked Kirk’s assassination. Kim responded with a sharp rebuke, saying that someone who behaves that way “should never have a job to care” for others.
Beyond that, Kim shared more thoughts through other X posts, at times sounding almost overwhelmed with anger at the reactions he was seeing. He didn’t hold back from calling out individuals by name.
Some little kids lost their father, a young woman lost her husband, the world lost a hero yesterday 4 communicating his opinions peacefully & the people that make decisions 4 our country can’t respect a moment 4 prayer? @JasmineForUS is racist@GovTimWalz wishes death on people💩 https://t.co/cYNCirWKWf
— Anthony Kim (@AnthonyKim_Golf) September 11, 2025
Veteran Caddie Kip Henley Speaks Out
Veteran PGA Tour caddie Kip Henley also took to social media following the assassination of Kirk, offering a blunt and heartfelt reaction. He opened with a simple but clear expression of sorrow.
A very sad day in America. My heart hurts for the Kirk family.
— KIP HENLEY (@KipHenley) September 10, 2025
However, Henley didn’t stop there. He followed up with a stronger message, writing: “Anyone that finds any piece of joy in the Charlie Kirk situation is a morally bankrupt human being. There’s so many sick people in this world now.”
His comments contrast sharply with the more politically framed responses from others, reflecting a deeply personal take–rooted less in ideological alignment and more in a clear moral stance against celebrating human suffering.
Rumors and Unconfirmed Reports
In the swirl of reactions, not all claims surrounding Kirk’s life and legacy have been confirmed. Some social media accounts, such as LIV Insider, characterized Kirk as a “lifelong #LIVGolf fan” and a die-hard supporter of the 4Aces GC team.
Rest in Peace to lifelong #LIVGolf fan Charlie Kirk.
A die-hard @4AcesGC_ fan, he never missed a LIV Golf broadcast no matter where he was or what he was doing.
What the left has done to this country is disgraceful. And, as expected, left-leaning golf media shows no shame. Sad. pic.twitter.com/jZu2xby9XM
— LIV Golf Insider (@LIVTracking) September 11, 2025
Similarly, an X post alleged that Tiger Woods had pledged to cover the future expenses of Kirk’s children. However, a similar story circulated after Kirk’s death, saying NFL star Justin Jefferson, also, pledged “to pay all living and educational expenses for Kirk’s two children.” Neither claim has been confirmed at this time.
The circulation of such stories reflects how quickly narratives can form in the wake of tragedy, but also underscores the need for careful distinction between confirmed reports and speculation.
Per Golf News Hub:
Immediately after Charlie Kirk passed away, Tiger Woods immediately stepped in, pledging to pay all living and educational expenses for Kirk’s two children. pic.twitter.com/4u4RpnodCH
— MAGA (@TruthBomb50) September 12, 2025
However, Woods’ girlfriend, Vanessa Trump, did briefly speak on the tragedy. According to Sportskeeda, she “shared an Instagram story about the incident in which she prayed for Charlie Kirk to rest in peace. She published an earlier message from Kirk in which he expressed how all of his challenges get easier when he looks at his children in his arms.”
Wider Sports World Pays Tribute
Golf was not alone in responding to Kirk’s death. Across professional sports, figures from football, baseball, and beyond expressed shock and offered prayers for Kirk’s family.
From athletes who admired Kirk’s activism to those who simply condemned political violence, the tone was consistent: sorrow for the loss of life and concern for the country’s increasingly fractured climate.
Charlie Kirk, a name synonymous with having the courage to speak what you believe and seek/welcome conversations with those whom you disagree with.
I’m not a political person but I am a proud American citizen and today was startling, saddening, and maddening all at the same…
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) September 11, 2025
The collective response illustrates the power of sports figures to transcend their games in moments of national crisis.
I’m shocked and devastated to learn about the passing of Charlie Kirk.
Above all else, Charlie was a follower of Jesus, a husband, and a dad. He was a man of passion, courage, and devotion to making an eternal impact.
Demi and I are praying for Erika, his two children, and…
— Tim Tebow (@TimTebow) September 11, 2025
While some, like Mickelson, focused on free speech, and others, like Kim, spotlighted compassion, the broader sporting community echoed a common theme: violence should never replace debate, and respect must remain at the heart of American society.
Alyssa Polczynski Alyssa Polczynski is a multimedia journalist covering Major League Baseball for Heavy.com. She has experience as an editorial producer for MLB.com and contributed to the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR). More about Alyssa Polczynski
More Heavy on Golf
Loading more stories
