Tiger Woods is the greatest golfer of all time.
He never achieved his lifelong goal of breaking Jack Nicklaus’ record of 18 major championships, but most still recognize Woods as the best to ever do it. He won 15 majors, and his peak was higher than anyone’s we have ever seen.
He was blessed with ridiculous talent, which allowed him to dominate the amateur scene, but a large part of what made Woods great was his work ethic. It allowed him to become the best to ever live, but it also meant his body broke down on him in the late 2000s.
According to Charles Barkley, who has played with some of the all-time greats, there was actually a player who was more naturally talented than Woods, and if he had worked just as hard, he might well have surpassed his rival.
Photo by Denise Truscello/WireImage
Charles Barkley said Phil Mickelson was more talented than Tiger Woods
Barkley was good friends with both Woods and Mickelson during their prime, and played with both privately. What the former NBA MVP said about the pair might surprise you.
He said to former PGA Tour pro Smylie Kaufman on his podcast in 2025, “The most talented golfer I ever played with was Phil Mickelson. There is nobody who has ever played golf who has had more talent than Phil Mickelson.
“Tiger is the hardest-working golfer I have ever seen. I would call him sometime in the morning, and he was hitting balls, and I would be like I will call you back later.
“Five hours later, I would call him back, and he was still hitting balls. I was like damn, you should be hitting balls for an hour or two, max!”
“Tiger is the best golfer I have ever seen, but the most talented golfer I have ever been around is Phil. He was incredible.”
Mickelson’s ability to shape shots, scramble in the short game, and dig himself out of holes showed just how talented he really was. So are his six major wins to Woods’ 15 really a story of underachievement?
Phil Mickelson said who he thinks is the best golfer of all time
Mickelson and Woods were fierce rivals back in the day, but no longer compete against each other on any stage. Woods has been sidelined with continual injuries, meanwhile Mickelson plays on the LIV tour, so the only time the pair would play is the majors.
That said, the rivalry has cooled, which has allowed Mickelson to give flowers to Woods. Speaking on Grant Horvat’s YouTube Channel in 2025, he said, “He owned me the first half of our careers.
“His record against me head-to-head was dominant. It is now even when we play together. Obviously, his record is his record—he’s the greatest of all time. I’ve seen him do things with a golf ball that I’ve never seen anyone else do. His play in 2000 was indescribable.
“He owned me in the early part of our careers, and in the second part, I owned him. Our head-to-head record is, I believe, dead even.”
He couldn’t give Woods his props without sneaking in some self praise, but it’s nice to see Mickelson pay homage to the man who was once his fierce competitor.