While Phil Mickelson has been past the peak of his powers for a number of years now, it is fair to say that the period between 2021 and 2023 was one of the most eventful of his entire career.
Phil Mickelson went almost five years without winning on the PGA Tour after his victory at The Open Championship in 2013. He also had that incredible moment during the 2018 US Open where he decided to jog after his ball to hit another putt while it was still moving. So few would have ever imagined that he would add a sixth major title at the 2021 PGA Championship.
However, Lefty made history at Kiawah Island. Unfortunately, he was in the headlines for all the wrong reasons in 2022 as he flirted with the idea of making the jump to LIV Golf. Of course, Mickelson would indeed be one of LIV’s big early signings.
Members at Augusta National recommended Mickelson stay away from the 2022 Masters. But he was back in the field for 2023, and it proved to be something of a triumphant return.
How Phil Mickelson’s manager reacted to his second place finish at the 2023 Masters
Mickelson shot a masterful 65 on Sunday to not only move inside the top 10, but also finish in a tie for second alongside Brooks Koepka. It was his best finish in the event since 2015, and his only top 10 – Kiawah Island aside – in a major since 2016.
And speaking on the Golf Channel Podcast after the conclusion of that year’s Masters, Rex Hoggard suggested that the importance of that week was best summed up by Mickelson’s manager’s reaction as his final round concluded.
“I was taken by the image as he walked up the hill, that was the 114th time that he’s walked up the hill from the 18th green to that clubhouse in his Masters career. Three of those times he’s walked into a green jacket in the Butler Cabin, so he’s had some really special moments coming up that hill. But this one seemed to overshadow them all,” he said.
“His manager, Steve Loy, he was in tears, like ugly crying, just pouring, it was sad to watch him do this. And I was taken by this, because man, he didn’t do that at Kiawah. Phil won the PGA Championship at 51 years old, became the oldest major champion ever, and you and I both were there, we didn’t see Steve Loy cry. He celebrated, he high-fived people, he hugged people, he was up and part of the celebration. He didn’t cry.”
“All he would say, ‘just look at what’s happened, just look at what’s happened over the last year’. Over the last year, everything has unraveled for Phil Mickelson,” he went on to add.
How 2022 impacted Mickelson’s legacy
Unfortunately, that result seemed to be something of an anomaly for Mickelson over the last couple of years. The LIV star has missed the cut at four of the eight majors across 2023 and 2024. Meanwhile, his best finish in a major since that Masters was a tie for 43rd at Augusta National the following year.
Clearly, there remains a lot of love for Mickelson. Sports fans have a fantastic ability to separate their heroes from some of the big mistakes they make, so it is no surprise that Mickelson remains so popular.
But he certainly damaged his legacy beyond repair with a lot of people. So you can see why that particular moment meant even more than a major win to those close to him.
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