Phil Mickelson is one of the best golfers of his generation. He’s won six major championships. He’s also stirred up a lot of controversy over the years. At 53, he’s dropping hints about retiring. Will the all-time be hanging up the golf clubs soon?
Phil Mickelson Says His Career Is ‘Towards Its End’
With just shy of $95 million in career earnings, Phil Mickelson ranks second on the PGA Tour’s all-time money list (although you won’t find his name on the list anymore after he jumped to LIV Golf). He won the first of his 45 career PGA victories in 1991 while he was still playing college golf at Arizona State. More than three decades later, “Lefty” is dropping hints that his playing days may soon come to an end. In an interview earlier this year, Mickelson said: “I’m 53 now and my career, you know, it’s — if I’m being truthful, it’s on — it’s — it’s — I’m a — it’s towards its end.”
Destined For Greatness From An Early Age
Phil Mickelson – aka “Lefty” – has been at the front and center of the golf world since he was a teenager. Although naturally right-handed, Mickelson plays golf left-handed because he learned his swing by mirroring his father’s right-handed swing. He won three straight American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) national player of the year awards from 1986 to 1988.
At Arizona State, he won three individual NCAA championships, matching the legendary Ben Crenshaw’s mark. He also won three consecutive Haskins Awards as the top collegiate golfer. He was only the second golfer to earn first-team All-American honors for three straight years.
Tiger Won More, But the Battles Were Entertaining
If not for Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson may be in the conversation regarding who is the best golfer of all time. Unfortunately for Phil Mickelson, nobody will forget Tiger so he’ll have to settle for being one of the best golfers of his generation. Still, the rivalry between Woods and Mickelson was fun to watch.
Six Major Championships and 12 Runner-Up Finishes
Phil Mickelson’s six major championships are more than any other golfer during the Tiger Woods era. (Brooks Koepka has won five majors.) Mickelson won three Masters, two PGA Championships, and one Open championship. While he never won a US Open, Mickelson finished second a record six times.
Mickelson has finished second in 12 majors – trailing only Jack Nicklaus’ 19. On top of his major championships, Mickelson played on 12 Presidents Cup and 12 Ryder Cup teams. Phil Mickelson spent over 700 weeks in the top ten of the Official Golf World Rankings (OWGR). He was also elected to the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2012.
Mickelson’s Off-Course Actions Draw Criticism
Phil’s career has not been without controversy. He was one of the first golfers to jump from the PGA Tour to LIV Golf. He criticized US captain Hal Sutton after the US Ryder Cup team was thrashed in 2004. In 2016, Mickelson chastised US Ryder Cup captain Tom Watson, even while Watson was in the same room.
Frustrated with the fast greens, Mickelson hit a moving golf ball at the 2018 US Open. Mickelson’s friendship with gambler Billy Walters also resulted in an insider trading scandal. Mickelson paid $1 million plus the profits he made on the trades.
One Of the Greatest Golfers Of This Generation
Phil Mickelson has enjoyed a long and successful – if not sometimes controversial – career. With more money than he’ll ever need and an army of hungry, young golfers nipping at his heels, it’s understandable if Mickelson soon decides to retire from full-time competitive golf. Whenever Mickelson decides to hang it up, he will be remembered for his incredible shot-making skills, some bonehead decisions on the golf course, and some controversial actions off the course. Whatever your opinion of Phil Mickelson is, he’s unquestionably one of the greatest golfers of this generation.
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