Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Phil Mickelson

Discover the career path of Phil Mickelson, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.

Philip Alfred Mickelson, nicknamed "Lefty", is a highly accomplished American professional golfer currently competing in the LIV Golf League. He boasts 45 PGA Tour victories, including six major championships: three Masters, two PGA Championships, and one Open Championship. Notably, he became the oldest major championship winner at the 2021 PGA Championship at age 50. Mickelson is known for his aggressive playing style and popularity among fans.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

1989: Long Streak Ended

In December 2019, Mickelson announced he would play in the 2020 Saudi International tournament and would miss Waste Management Phoenix Open for the first time since 1989.

1990: NCAA Team Title and Haskins Award

In 1990, Phil Mickelson led the Sun Devils to the NCAA team title and won the Haskins Award as the outstanding collegiate golfer.

1990: Wins U.S. Amateur Title

In 1990, Phil Mickelson won the U.S. Amateur title, becoming the first left-handed swinger to do so.

January 1991: Wins Northern Telecom Open

In January 1991, Phil Mickelson won the Northern Telecom Open in Tucson, becoming one of the few golfers to win a PGA Tour event as an amateur.

1991: Won as an Amateur

In 1991, Phil Mickelson won as an amateur and therefore did not receive any prize money.

1991: Earns Two-Year Exemption

In 1991, Phil Mickelson's win at the Northern Telecom Open earned him a two-year exemption, allowing him to bypass Q-School when he turned professional in 1992.

June 1992: Turns Professional

In June 1992, Phil Mickelson graduated from ASU and turned professional, bypassing Q-School due to his 1991 Tucson win.

1992: Haskins Award

In 1992, Phil Mickelson won the Haskins Award as the outstanding collegiate golfer.

1992: Low amateur at the Masters Tournament

In April 1992, Mickelson was the low amateur at the Masters Tournament in Augusta, Georgia.

1994: Presidents Cup and Ryder Cup Streak

In 2017, Mickelson was named as a captain's pick for the Presidents Cup, maintaining a streak of 23 consecutive USA teams in the Presidents Cup and Ryder Cup, dating back to 1994.

1996: Wins Byron Nelson Golf Classic and World Series of Golf

In 1996, Phil Mickelson won the Byron Nelson Golf Classic and the World Series of Golf.

1997: Ranked Above Woods

In 1997, Mickelson had not been ranked above Woods since the week prior to the Masters Tournament.

1997: Historic Wins for Woods

In 1997, Tiger Woods had a historic win, and in 2010 the Masters' television ratings ranked third all-time to this win.

1997: Missed Cut at Masters

Mickelson missed the cut at the Masters for the first time since 1997.

1998: Wins AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am

In 1998, Phil Mickelson won the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.

1999: Multiple Top-Ten Finishes

Between 1999 and 2003, Phil Mickelson had 17 top-ten finishes in majors, but no wins.

2000: Wins Colonial National Invitation

In 2000, Phil Mickelson won the Colonial National Invitation.

2000: Buick Invitational Win

In 2000, Phil Mickelson's win at the Buick Invitational ended Tiger Woods's streak of six consecutive victories on the PGA Tour.

2001: Wins Greater Hartford Open

In 2001, Phil Mickelson won the Greater Hartford Open.

2001: Historic Wins for Woods

In 2001, Tiger Woods had a historic win, and in 2010 the Masters' television ratings ranked third all-time to this win.

2001: Lowest Total by a Runner-Up

Mickelson's 267 total at the 2016 British Open set a record score for a runner-up in the British Open, and only trails Mickelson's 266 at the 2001 PGA Championship as the lowest total by a runner-up in major championship history.

2002: Wins Greater Hartford Open

In 2002, Phil Mickelson won the Greater Hartford Open.

November 2004: Career-Low Round

In November 2004, Phil Mickelson shot a career-low 59 at the PGA Grand Slam of Golf in Hawaii.

2004: Masters Tournament Win

In 2004, Phil Mickelson secured a Masters Tournament title, one of his six major championship wins.

2004: CareerBuilder Challenge win

In 2016, Mickelson's T3 finish was the highest since winning the same event to begin the 2004 season.

2005: PGA Championship Win

In 2005, Phil Mickelson secured a PGA Championship title, one of his six major championship wins.

2006: Masters Tournament Win

In 2006, Phil Mickelson secured another Masters Tournament title, one of his six major championship wins.

April 2007: Changes Swing Coach

In April 2007, Phil Mickelson decided to leave his longtime swing coach, Rick Smith, and began working with Butch Harmon.

September 3, 2007: Wins Deutsche Bank Championship

On September 3, 2007, Phil Mickelson won the Deutsche Bank Championship, beating Tiger Woods, who finished second. It was the first time that Mickelson beat Woods while paired together on the final day of a tournament.

2007: Pays for Conrad Dobler's Daughter's Tuition

In 2007, Phil Mickelson volunteered to pay the tuition for Holli Dobler, Conrad Dobler's daughter, at Miami University.

2008: Wins Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial

In 2008, Phil Mickelson won the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial, showcasing a remarkable approach shot on the final hole.

2009: Wins Northern Trust Open and WGC-CA Championship

In 2009, Phil Mickelson won the Northern Trust Open and the WGC-CA Championship, surpassing Vijay Singh for second place on the current PGA Tour wins list.

2009: Returns to PGA Tour and Finishes Runner-Up at U.S. Open

In June 2009, Phil Mickelson returned to the PGA Tour at the St. Jude Classic and U.S. Open. He finished runner-up at the 2009 U.S. Open, his fifth time finishing second at the U.S. Open.

2009: Wins The Tour Championship

In September 2009, Phil Mickelson won The Tour Championship for the second time, finishing second behind Tiger Woods in the FedEx Cup standings.

2010: Tied for 4th at Masters

In 2010, Mickelson tied for 4th at the Masters, which had strong television ratings, ranking third all-time to Woods's historic wins. Mickelson's performance left him second only to Woods in major championships among his contemporaries.

2010: Masters Tournament Win

In 2010, Phil Mickelson secured another Masters Tournament title, one of his six major championship wins.

2010: T4 Finish at U.S. Open

In 2010, despite being a favorite for the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, Mickelson finished T4 after weekend scores of 73. Throughout the 2010 season, he had opportunities to become the world number one but had disappointing finishes.

2011: Farmers Insurance Open

In 2011, Mickelson started his season at the Farmers Insurance Open, where he tied for the 54-hole lead. He needed to hole out on the 18th hole to force a playoff with Bubba Watson but ultimately lost the tournament.

2012: Mixed Results and Withdrawals

In 2012, Mickelson finished T-7th at the HP Byron Nelson Championship but withdrew from the Memorial Tournament due to mental fatigue. He finished T-65th at the U.S. Open and had missed cuts at the Greenbrier Classic and Open Championship.

2012: FedEx Cup Playoffs and Ryder Cup

In 2012, Mickelson participated in the FedEx Cup Playoffs, with a T38 finish at The Barclays. He tied for 4th at the Deutsche Bank Championship and tied for 2nd at the BMW Championship. At the Ryder Cup, he had a 3–1 record, but the USA team lost.

2012: Wins AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am

In 2012, Mickelson won the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, marking his 40th career victory on the PGA Tour. He also lost the Northern Trust Open in a three-way playoff after holding the lead.

2013: Seeking Winless Streak End

At the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in 2016, Mickelson sought to end a winless drought dating back 52 worldwide events to the 2013 Open Championship.

2013: 2013 Season Start

In 2013, Mickelson started the season with a T37 finish at the Humana Challenge. He had a disappointing tournament at the Farmers Insurance Open, finishing T51.

2013: Led PGA Tour in Birdie Average

In 2013, Phil Mickelson led the PGA Tour in birdie average, showcasing his scoring ability.

2013: Open Championship Win

In 2013, Phil Mickelson secured an Open Championship title, one of his six major championship wins.

2013: Fifth Top-Five Finish Since 2013 Open Championship

Mickelson's T3 finish at the 2016 CareerBuilder Challenge was only his fifth top-five finish since his win at the 2013 Open Championship.

2013: Winless Drought Ending

On March 4, 2018, Mickelson won the WGC-Mexico Championship, ending a winless drought since his last win in 2013.

2015: Hired New Swing Coach

In 2015, Mickelson hired Andrew Getson as his new swing coach, working together to refine Mickelson's swing during the offseason.

2015: Tied for Second at Masters

In 2015, Mickelson tied for second at the Masters, marking his tenth such finish in a major, second only to Jack Nicklaus.

2015: Reflecting on 2013 Open Championship Win

In an interview before the 2015 Open, Mickelson expressed how much his 2013 Open Championship win meant to him.

2016: Tied for Third at CareerBuilder Challenge

In 2016, under Getson's guidance, Mickelson tied for third place at the CareerBuilder Challenge, marking his highest finish in his first worldwide start of a calendar year since 2004.

2016: Sports Hernia Surgeries and Return

In the fall of 2016, Mickelson had two sports hernia surgeries. His unexpected return at the CareerBuilder Challenge led to a T-21 finish. He then had a T14 finish at the Farmers Insurance Open and a T-16 finish at the Waste Management Phoenix Open.

March 4, 2018: WGC-Mexico Championship Win

On March 4, 2018, Mickelson won the WGC-Mexico Championship, ending a winless drought since 2013. He defeated Justin Thomas in a playoff to secure his 43rd PGA Tour victory and became the oldest winner of a WGC event.

November 23, 2018: Wins Capital One's The Match

On November 23, 2018, Mickelson won Capital One's The Match, a $9,000,000 winner-takes-all event against Tiger Woods, after four extra holes.

2018: Ryder Cup Participation

In 2018, Mickelson was a captain's pick for Team USA at the Ryder Cup. He lost his matches, and Team USA was defeated.

December 2019: Announcement to Play in Saudi International

In December 2019, Mickelson announced he would play in the 2020 Saudi International tournament, which was met with criticism due to human rights concerns.

2019: Wins AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am

In 2019, Mickelson won the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, marking his 44th career title on the PGA Tour and his fifth at Pebble Beach. At 48, he became the oldest winner of the event.

February 2020: Saudi International Tournament

In February 2020, Mickelson played in the Saudi International tournament and finished tied for third.

June 16, 2020: PGA Tour Champions Eligibility

On June 16, 2020, Mickelson became eligible for the PGA Tour Champions on his 50th birthday.

August 2020: Eliminated from FedEx Cup Playoffs

In August 2020, Mickelson was eliminated from the FedEx Cup Playoffs following The Northern Trust at TPC Boston.

October 2020: Wins Dominion Energy Charity Classic

In October 2020, Phil Mickelson secured victory at the Dominion Energy Charity Classic in Virginia, marking his second consecutive win on the PGA Tour Champions.

February 2021: T-20 Finish at Cologuard Classic

In February 2021, Phil Mickelson aimed to achieve a historic feat by winning his first three tournaments on the PGA Tour Champions. However, he finished in a tie for 20th place at the Cologuard Classic with a score of 4 under par.

May 2021: Wins 2021 PGA Championship

In May 2021, Phil Mickelson won the PGA Championship at the Kiawah Island Golf Resort in South Carolina, becoming the oldest major champion at 50. He finished the tournament at 6-under, defeating Brooks Koepka and Louis Oosthuizen by two strokes.

October 2021: Wins Constellation Furyk & Friends

In October 2021, Phil Mickelson won the inaugural Constellation Furyk & Friends in Jacksonville, Florida, marking his third win in four career starts on the PGA Tour Champions. Mickelson shot a final round 4-under-par 68 to win over Miguel Ángel Jiménez.

November 2021: Wins Charles Schwab Cup Championship

In November 2021, Phil Mickelson secured victory at the season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship in Phoenix, Arizona, with a final round of six-under par 65. This win marked Mickelson's fourth victory in six career starts on the PGA Tour Champions.

2021: Mickelson withdraws from the PGA Championship

In 2021, Mickelson decided to withdraw from the PGA Championship which he won that year.

2021: PGA Championship Win

In 2021, Phil Mickelson secured another PGA Championship title, one of his six major championship wins, becoming the oldest major championship winner at 50 years, 11 months, and 7 days.

June 6, 2022: LIV Golf CEO Announces Mickelson Will Play

On June 6, 2022, LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman announced that Phil Mickelson will participate in the inaugural event of the LIV Golf Invitational Series, commencing on June 9, 2022.

June 9, 2022: PGA Tour Suspends Mickelson

On June 9, 2022, which was the first day of the LIV Golf Invitational London, the PGA Tour suspended Phil Mickelson, along with 16 other current and former tour members, due to their participation in a conflicting event without obtaining permission from the tour.

2022: Joins LIV Golf Tour

In 2022, Phil Mickelson left the PGA Tour after 30 years to join the Saudi-backed LIV Golf tour, making him the only golfer to have won 3 (or more) of the 4 majors to join the tour.

2022: Lost Sponsors After LIV Golf Comments

In 2022, Phil Mickelson lost sponsors, including KPMG and Amstel Light, after his comments regarding the Saudi-backed golf league, LIV Golf, stirred controversy.

2023: Tied Second at 2023 Masters Tournament

In 2023, Phil Mickelson delivered a memorable performance at the Masters Tournament, finishing tied for second. He shot a final round of 65, equaling his lowest score at Augusta, marking a significant achievement in his career.