How Good Was PRIME Phil Mickelson Actually?

In this video, we talk about one of the most gifted players of all time, Phil Mickelson, and how he went from the greatest player never to win a major, to establishing himself as one of the all time greats.

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imagine being known as the best player never to win a major well that was Phil Mickelson 12 years after turning pro but everything changed at the 2004 Masters for all his brilliance his career had been riddled with controversies highs and lows and of course being overshadowed by one of the greatest golfers to have ever lived so how good was Prime Phil Mickelson actually well to start us off his swing is one of the most recognizable in golf history but it’s memorable not just for its beauty it’s the fact that it’s left-handed what makes this even more unusual is how Mickelson became a lefty in the first place being that he was right-handed as a child he watched his father swing a golf club in their backyard the catch his dad was right-handed so Phil mirrored him by standing on the opposite side of the ball the result a natural left-handed stroke that would become his trademark growing up in San Diego California Mickelson was surrounded by golf from a young age his father Phil Senior wasn’t just a weekend golfer he was an aviator who built a makeshift driving range in their backyard under his watch young Phil started swinging clubs practically before he could walk by age three he was hitting balls with startling precision for a kid who could still count his age on one hand but there was a challenge looming on the horizon the world of golf didn’t exactly cater to left-handed players from equipment to instruction manuals this was over 40 years ago after all manufacturers hadn’t started stocking golf clubs like they do now for left-handed players but that didn’t stop him from his early teens Mickelson became a local sensation grinding away at his game with a mix of technical practice and sheer creativity he was the kind of player who would picture wild shots in his mind just to see if he could pull them off something that never changed as he got older his early career was filled with moments that hinted at the golfer he would become as a high schooler he’d regularly shoot in the 60s walking the course with a swagger that came more from confidence than ego by the time Mickelson reached college he wasn’t just good he was historically good at Arizona State University he turned the golf world on its head winning 16 collegiic events and he didn’t just beat opponents he demolished them three individual NCAA championships later and he was heralded as one of the greatest college golfers to ever pick up a club and if that wasn’t enough his US amateur title in 1990 solidified his reputation as a generational talent it wasn’t just his wins though it was the way he did it he played with an adventurous borderline reckless style that made him stand out he wasn’t afraid to risk it all for a sensational shot but perhaps the moment when the world truly took notice was in 1991 at the Northern Telecom Open still an amateur Mickelson shocked everyone by taking down a field of seasoned professionals at the time this was almost unheard of the PGA Tour had long been dominated by experienced players amateurs were supposed to grind away at small tournaments before seeing that kind of success yet there he was grinning with a trophy in his hands as if winning on the biggest stage was just another stop on the journey by the time he turned pro in 1992 expectations were skyhigh how could they not be after all Mickelson was coming off of one of the most dominant amateur careers in history and he had the charisma to match his talent there was talk of records being broken of majors piling up and of Mickelson stepping into the role of the sport’s next big thing but looming over all of this was an unspoken reality professional golf was about to change and Mikkelson would be caught in its crossfire any other generation and Phil would have won everything over and over again but what nobody could have predicted was the arrival of another prodigy who would redefine the sport entirely that prodigy of course was Tiger Woods a golfer with a relentlessness and precision that left little room for anyone else to shine for Mickelson this would turn out to be both a blessing and a curse on one hand he had the opportunity to play in arguably the most competitive era in golf history sharing a stage with someone who pushed him to elevate his own game and forced him not to settle for the level that he had been playing at before on the other hand it meant Mickelson’s achievements no matter how remarkable were often overshadowed at this point everything was in place mickelson had the talent the flare and the momentum to make his mark as a pro but meeting expectations would prove far harder than expected he now had to share the stage that he thought he was going to have to himself when Woods burst onto the PJ tour in 1996 the game of golf entered a new chapter one dominated by a single name the late 1990s and early 2000s Tiger wasn’t just winning tournaments he was reshaping what dominance in golf looked like seven majors in a span of 11 appearances from the 1999 PGA Championship to the 2002 US Open made it clear that Woods was operating on a completely different level and standing in the spotlight but he wasn’t just an afterthought either his rise to prominence had its own intrigue he was a natural talent with wins early in his PGA career that suggested that he could still become one of golf’s all-time greats but winning regular tournaments wasn’t enough golf’s elite are defined by one thing majors and while Woods seemed to collect them all for fun Mickelson was stuck with the uncomfortable reputation as the best player never to win a major year after year he flirted with major success but was always left empty-handed he watched as Woods transformed golf not just with his victories but with the way he intimidated the entire field phil would later admit the obvious competing against Peak Tiger was brutal it sucked to have to play against him it really did you look at it and say “How am I going to beat this?” The challenge wasn’t just about Woods’s skill it was how their differences accentuated Mickelson’s struggles phil was daring and unpredictable always chasing spectacular shots fans loved his creativity but it often came at a cost sometimes those bold plays worked but sometimes they didn’t leaving him scrambling to simply keep pace woods on the other hand played with machine-like precision his game plan was simpler don’t take unnecessary risks stay steady and make others crack under pressure these contrasting styles often made their rivalry fascinating bill’s lively approach to the game was wildly popular with fans but it also led to questions about his discipline when it came to winning the tournaments that truly mattered even in head-to-head pairings Mickelson didn’t just roll over in fact their record against each other came out to an even 16 wins a piece with four halved matches and yet Woods’s dominance at the top often left no doubt about who cast the longest shadow major championships were the ultimate measuring stick and through the early 2000s Mickelson’s tally remained frozen at zero woods’s major streak continued to grow adding to the feeling that Mickelson was always going to be the other guy of that era but the frustration didn’t seem to crush him his longtime caddy Bones Mai explained how Mickelson stayed resilient he staggered to his feet and kept working the problem and for Mickelson that problem was clear he needed to win a major not just for himself but to prove to the golf world that he could one of the most compelling moments in their rivalry came during the 2001 Masters the two of them were in contention on Sunday both pushing for the iconic green jacket woods of course emerged victorious completing what would later be called the Tiger Slam holding all four major titles at once phil while incredibly close that week couldn’t quite get it over the finish line despite the disappointment it was the kind of moment that showed how thrilling golf could be when the two were in the mix at the same time but finally in the 2004 Augusta National Mickelson broke through standing over an 18 ft birdie putt on the final hole everything seemed to hang in the balance this wasn’t just a chance to win any tournament this was Phil Mickelson’s chance to shed that exhausting label to prove his victory could stand alongside the best in the Tiger Woods era and when the ball dropped in the cup so did years of frustration his jubilant leap into the air arms raised wasn’t just a celebration it was a relief a statement that he belonged his 2004 Masters win wasn’t just about finally capturing a major it validated the sense that Mickelson’s style of play could compete at the highest level even with Woods still dominating the sport Mikkelson had carved out his moment the win seemed to spark something in him he went on to collect four more major championships including three masters titles that solidified his legacy at Augusta and critically he achieved all of this during Woods’s heyday not in some later stretch when his dominance had faded he himself acknowledged how difficult it was to compete with an all-time great in his prime speaking about Woods’s reign Mikkelson remarked “It was the most remarkable golf in the history of the game and I think unre repeatable i think it was that good.” If anything Mickelson’s success looks even more impressive through that lens winning five majors despite competing alongside someone redefining what greatness in golf looked like but even after tasting success his journey was far from smooth those major wins told only part of the story because his career would continue to be an unpredictable mix of triumph disappointment and eventually controversy how does a player win six major championships including one of the most historic victories in golf’s history and still leave fans wondering what could have been that’s the paradox of Phil Mikosen’s career a mixture of dazzling triumphs and frustrating near misses with the US Open serving as one of the most haunting pieces of the puzzle his first win in 2004 was unforgettable he returned to Augusta as a champion in 2006 and 2010 navigating its challenges with a mix of daring shots and a command over the Greens that seemed second nature but beyond the Masters Mikkelson’s victories at the PJ Championship and Open Championship cemented his place in the game’s upper echelon his 2005 PGA Championship win showcased his clutch play when it mattered most it came down to the final hole and Mickelson calmly delivered a birdie that sealed his first Waker trophy but arguably his most jaw-dropping major performance came well into the later years of his career in 2021 at nearly 51 years old Nicholson shocked the golf world by winning the PGA Championship at Kauai Island with that win he became the oldest major champion in golf history defying both father time and the odds on a notoriously brutal course it was a masterclass in precision resilience and experience a career-defining triumph in an era when most players his age had already retired from serious contention yet even with those six majors one tournament cast an unavoidable shadow the US Open it’s not just that Mickelson hasn’t won it it’s how agonizingly close he came six times he’s finished second at the event and each runner up had its own sting at the 2006 US Open at Winged Foot the stage was set for Mickelson to win his third consecutive major and finally capture the elusive US Open title all he needed was a par on the 18th hole instead his aggressive mindset the same one that helped him win countless tournaments backfired he pulled out his driver off the tea a risky decision under the circumstances and sent the ball into rough so deep that it may have belonged on a completely different course from there it only got worse his second shot hit a tree and ultimately a double bogey handed the title to Jeff Gilvy mikkelson summed it up bluntly afterwards i’m such an idiot that moment as brutal as it was encapsulated the duality of Phil’s playing style his aggressive crowd-thrilling approach to golf wasn’t just a strategy it was a part of who he was as a competitor his other US Open close calls played out like chapters in a tragic novel in 1999 at Pinehurst he lost by a single stroke to Payne Stewart who famously comforted Mickelson on the final green despite winning the championship himself then came heartbreaks at Shinikok Hills in 2004 Beth Paige Black in 2002 and 2009 and Marian in 2013 each time Mikkelson was in position to win and each time something whether it was a poor shot a bold decision or a red-hot opponent kept him from closing the deal record alone of six US Open runner-ups is one that nobody else wants to match the phrase US Open curse followed him wherever he went becoming one of the enduring storylines of his career and yet through it all he never shied away from the heartbreaks or made excuses if anything he embraced them as part of his journey “it motivates me to keep working hard,” he said reflecting on his inability to win the tournament those near misses didn’t diminish his accomplishments they simply added complexity to a legacy already filled with extremes by the time Phil secured his sixth major at Kauaii Island the narrative had shifted that win didn’t erase the sting of his US Open losses but it proved something more significant his career was so much bigger than his frustrations his perseverance his daring style and his ability to deliver brilliance when it mattered most had already secured his place among golf’s all-time greats but his career wasn’t just defined by his play it was also shaped by controversy phil Mickelson has always been one of the most celebrated figures in golf but also one of the most polarizing like Marmite you either love him or you hate him over the years he faced blame backlash and bad press proving that even the biggest fan favorites aren’t immune to controversy one of the most notable scandals began in 2014 when he found himself entangled in an insider trading investigation the situation centered around stock tips that Mickelson had allegedly received from a well-connected gambler named Billy Walters according to reports Walters gave Mickelson a hot tip on shares of Dean Foods which Mikkelson bought just days before the company stock price surged he reportedly turned a profit of nearly $1 million from the trade but the fallout would prove costly in more ways than one while he avoided criminal charges by cooperating with investigators federal authorities required him to pay back the money along with interest the controversy immediately sparked headlines drawing attention to his off-c course dealings in a way that was rare for a top tier golfer the impact on his reputation was noticeable even if Mickelson managed to stay out direct legal consequences fans and analysts were left questioning whether a player so celebrated on the course could have allowed himself to get so close to something as messy as insider trading mickelson for his part didn’t shy away from accepting at least some responsibility calling it a matter I’ve taken very seriously and learned from still the spectacle left an undeniable blot on his once squeaky clean image but if the insider trading controversy stirred public intrigue Mickelson’s involvement with Saudi backed Live Golf in 2022 took it to a completely different level the Live Golf Project a rival league to the PGA Tour funded by Saudi Arabia’s public investment fund promised enormous sums of money to attract top players mickelson already one of the wealthiest figures in golf stunned the sports world when he became one of its most high-profile supporters his involvement wasn’t entirely surprising mickelson has always been outspoken about players earning more in professional golf but the way it unfolded was anything but smooth he didn’t just align himself with live golf he did so while openly criticizing the PJ tour calling it manipulative and accusing it of hoarding revenue that should have gone to the players these comments alone might have been enough to stir controversy but things became far more explosive when an interview with author Alan Shipnuk revealed Mickelson’s own misgivings about his partnership with Liv in the piece he referred to the Saudis as scary due to their human rights record even acknowledging the murder of journalist Jamal Kashuki still Mickelson justified his involvement framing it as an opportunity to create leverage against the PJ tour saying “This is a once- ina-lifetime opportunity to reshape how the PJ tour operates.” The fallout from these remarks was immediate and intense he faced widespread criticism for working with the Saudi regime accused by many of prioritizing personal profit over ethics several of his longtime sponsors including KPMG and Workday cut ties with him he went dark for months skipping tournaments and stepping out of the public eye entirely when he eventually returned he tried to clarify his position stating that his intention was to grow the game of golf globally and provide more opportunities for players i’ve made mistakes and I’m sorry for that but I don’t regret the opportunities this league is creating Mickelson said during a press conference so how does Mickelson himself view his career and his legacy is it defined by his six majors or is there something bigger at play for starters his longevity in golf is almost unmatched he spent over 25 consecutive years within the top 50 of the official World Golf ranking and more than 700 of those weeks were spent in the top 10 and his impact didn’t stop with the spotlight in 2004 he and his wife Amy founded the Phil and Amy Mickelson Foundation aimed at supporting youth and family initiatives while he rarely made a public spectacle of his charitable contributions the foundation became an outlet for making a difference off the course financially his career has been nothing short of staggering with estimated career earnings near $1 billion he stands as one of the highest paid athletes in any sport while tournament winnings made up a sizable portion endorsements were where Mickelson really secured his fortune in 2011 he was the second highest paid athlete in the United States raking in over $62 million including $53 million in endorsements companies like Rolex Exxon Mobile and Mison Plus Maine partnered with Mickelson at the height of his fame recognizing his marketability both as a golfer and a larger than-l life personality the numbers highlight his status as more than just an elite player he became a brand symbol of both golf’s tradition and appeal to a new generation of fans looking back his influence on golf mirrors his influence on fans deep complex and unforgettable so how good was Prime Phil Mickelson really prime Phil wasn’t just a golfer he was an artist turning tournaments into theaters of risk and reward with 45 PJ tour wins and six major championships his career stands among the greats yet it’s the method behind the madness that defines him fans connected with his boldness the perfect flop shots the absurd angles the moments where brilliance teetered on disaster and while Mickelson hopes his involvement with Libolf becomes a defining piece of his legacy his journey reminds us greatness isn’t just about victory but the unforgettable ride tiger Woods may have owned the era but Mikkelson gave it its soul these videos take a long time to make so consider subscribing and checking out one of these videos as well