Nothing From LIV Golf Foreshadowed Phil Mickelson's Amazing Masters Week
AUGUSTA, Ga. — Next thing you know, Augusta National will allow cell phones on the property, shorts among the competitors and offer room rates for its on-site cabins.
All of those things are about as likely as Phil Mickelson shooting 65.
But that is what the three-time Masters champion did during the final round on Sunday, grabbing the clubhouse lead for a time before Jon Rahm pulled away to win the tournament and his second major championship.
It was Mickelson who several years ago predicted greatness for Rahm well before the rest of the world knew much about him.
But Mickelson produced a bit of unlikely magic himself on Sunday, climbing the leaderboard with a surprising round given his overall lack of form over the past two years as he became a huge target of criticism over his move to the LIV Golf league.
Mickelson ended up tied for second with Brooks Koepka, four strokes back of Rahm.
“Either way, no matter the outcome, I had so much fun today," said Mickelson, 52, who became the oldest player in Masters history to finish in the top three. “I feel like I've been hitting these type of quality shots, but I have not been staying focused and present for the upcoming shot, and I make a lot of mistakes. Kind of like you saw on Thursday, and that cost me a bunch of strokes.
“To come out today and play the way I did and hit the shots when I needed, it's so much fun. I'm grateful to be a part of this tournament and to be here competing and then to play well, it means a lot."
Mickelson’s 65 matched his low in the tournament over 114 rounds in competition dating to his first Masters in 1991.
But consider how long ago it was that Mickelson last shot 65 here. He had yet to win a Masters, had yet to win any major championships. He was just 25 years old.
The year was 1996 and Mickelson opened the tournament with a 65. He was overshadowed by a guy named Greg Norman, who matched a tournament scoring record that day which has never been equaled since. Mickelson went on to finish third.
Since then, he won the Masters in 2004, 2006 and 2010. He had a total of 15 top-10 finishes and nine top 3s. But his previous best round before Sunday was a 66—in 2012.
Mickelson will rue his final nine holes of the third round, when he was unable to make a birdie and shot 39 for a total of 75. That ended up costing him a chance to make things a bit more interesting on Sunday, although he began the day 10 strokes back of 54-hole leader Koepka.
“I think he missed one fairway, which was No. 3," said Jordan Spieth, who played in the same group with Mickelson and tied for fourth with Patrick Reed. “And I think that’s a fairway he hit 99 out of 100 times. So obviously he’s playing some really solid golf.
“Then I think (No. 6) was a big moment for him. That was such a hard hole for him today with the wind. Your normal wind it’s a good little par-3, but today it’s brutally difficult. When he birdied 7, I think he started to get a little pep in his step. Then he kind of carried it on from there."
Mickelson played the first nine in 34, then made birdies at the 12th, 13th, 15th, 17th and 18th to shoot a final-nine 31.
Nobody saw it coming because his LIV Golf results had been so poor. Despite losing 25 pounds in the offseason and recommitting after a tumultuous 2022 saw him miss both the Masters and PGA Championship, Mickelson had as many scores in the 60s (three) as he did of 75 or worse in nine LIV Golf rounds. Add a missed cut at the Saudi International and his resume of work was hardly impressive.
“Hopefully it's a stepping stone," he said. “I know I've been playing really well. I've been shooting low scores back home. I've been playing consistently well. When I've been competing, I have not been staying present. I haven't been letting it happen, kind of forcing it. I just haven't been scoring the way I know I can.
“Today is hopefully a stepping stone to really kick start the rest of the year and continue some great play because I have a unique opportunity. At 52, no physical injuries, no physical problems, being able to swing a club the way I want to, to do things in the game that not many people have had a chance to do later in life.
“I've kind of really worked hard in the off-season to get in shape, to get ready for this upcoming season, and I'm out there hitting shots and not scoring. So it's been frustrating. Today was really a fun day. Hopefully I'll be able to use this again as a springboard for the rest year."
Mickelson, a six-time major winner who less than two years ago became the oldest major champion at age 50 when he won the PGA Championship, will soon embark on a busy stretch.
In two weeks, he heads to Australia and Singapore for back-to-back LIV Golf events. LIV has an event in Oklahoma the week prior to the PGA Championship as well as one the week after.
The PGA will be the first time he plays the tournament since he won it at Kiawah Island in 2021.
“I think he’s been through a lot," said Harold Varner III, another LIV Golf player. “His life’s been turned upside down, some his fault, some not, but from the outside looking in, I’d be pretty emotional as well."
Mickelson didn’t delve much into the LIV Golf controversy. He kept his answers focused on Augusta National and his appreciation for the opportunity to compete.
“I know after missing last year, to be here this year, it means a lot to me and it means a lot to me to be a part of this tournament going forward," he said. “I love everything about this because it's what I dreamed of as a kid to be a part of, and I've got so many great memories wrapped up here at Augusta."