Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Phil Mickelson

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

Phil Mickelson, nicknamed "Lefty," is a highly accomplished American professional golfer celebrated for his impressive career, including 45 PGA Tour wins and six major championships. These include three Masters titles, two PGA Championships, and one Open Championship. Notably, he became the oldest major championship winner at the 2021 PGA Championship. Mickelson currently plays in the LIV Golf League, continuing his presence in professional golf.

Sections (5)

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

1954: Gene Littler Wins San Diego Open

In 1954, Gene Littler won the San Diego Open, marking one of the instances of an amateur winning a PGA tour event.

1956: Doug Sanders Wins Canadian Open

In 1956, Doug Sanders won the Canadian Open, marking one of the instances of an amateur winning a PGA tour event.

1963: Sir Bob Charles Wins The Open Championship

In 1963, Sir Bob Charles from New Zealand won The Open Championship, and is a golfer with a left-handed swing to win a major.

August 1985: Scott Verplank Wins Western Open

In August 1985, Scott Verplank won the Western Open; this was the last time an amateur won a PGA tour event before Mickelson's win in January 1991.

1989: Continuous participation in Waste Management Phoenix Open

Since 1989, Phil Mickelson has been continuously participating in Waste Management Phoenix Open until December 2019 when he announced that he would participate in the 2020 Saudi International tournament, foregoing the Waste Management Phoenix Open.

1990: Wins U.S. Amateur Title

In 1990, Mickelson became the first left-handed swinger to win the U.S. Amateur title, defeating Manny Zerman in the 36-hole final at Cherry Hills.

1990: Leads Sun Devils to NCAA Team Title

In 1990, Mickelson led the Sun Devils to the NCAA team title.

January 1991: Wins Northern Telecom Open

In January 1991, Mickelson won the Northern Telecom Open in Tucson, marking his first PGA Tour event win and making him one of the few golfers to achieve this as an amateur.

1991: Two-Year Exemption

Due to Mickelson's win at the 1991 Tucson Open, he receives a two-year exemption.

1991: Wins Haskins Awards

In 1991, Mickelson won the Haskins Award as the outstanding collegiate golfer.

June 1992: Turns Professional

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

1992: Wins Haskins Awards

In 1992, 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: Consecutive USA Teams

On September 6, 2017, days after posting his best finish of the season of T6 at the Dell Technologies Championship, Mickelson was named as a captain's pick for the Presidents Cup. This maintained 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, Mickelson won the Byron Nelson Golf Classic and the World Series of Golf.

1997: Historical Win for Tiger Woods in 1997

During the 1997 Masters, Tiger Woods had a historical win that led to strong television ratings in the United States.

1997: Missed Cut at the Masters

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

1997: Rising in World Ranking

On April 3, Phil Mickelson won the Shell Houston Open and rose to No. 3 in the world ranking, while Tiger Woods fell to No. 7. Mickelson had not been ranked above Woods since the week prior to the 1997 Masters Tournament.

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

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

1999: Multiple Top-Ten Finishes

From 1999 to 2003, Mickelson had 17 top-ten finishes, and six second- or third-place finishes.

2000: Wins Colonial National Invitation

In 2000, Mickelson won the Colonial National Invitation.

2000: Wins Buick Invitational, Ending Tiger Woods' Streak

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

2001: Historical Win for Tiger Woods in 2001

During the 2001 Masters, Tiger Woods had a historical win that led to strong television ratings in the United States.

2001: Wins Greater Hartford Open

In 2001, Mickelson won the Greater Hartford Open.

2002: Wins Greater Hartford Open Again

In 2002, Mickelson won the Greater Hartford Open for the second time.

2003: Mike Weir Wins The Masters

In 2003, Mike Weir from Canada won The Masters, and is a golfer with a left-handed swing to win a major.

November 2004: Career-Low Round at PGA Grand Slam of Golf

In November 2004, Mickelson recorded his career-low 18-hole round with a 59 at the PGA Grand Slam of Golf in Hawaii.

2004: Wins First Major Championship at the Masters

In 2004, Mickelson secured his first major championship win at the Masters, marking his thirteenth year on the PGA Tour.

2004: Highest Finish in First Worldwide Start

In 2016, Phil Mickelson's third-place finish at the CareerBuilder Challenge was his highest finish in his first worldwide start of a calendar year since he won the same event to begin the 2004 season.

2004: Ends Contract with Titleist/Acushnet Golf, Signs with Callaway Golf

Prior to the Ryder Cup in 2004, Mickelson ended his contract with Titleist/Acushnet Golf and signed with Callaway Golf after praising their equipment. He faced scrutiny for the sudden change and faltered at the Ryder Cup.

April 2007: Leaves Swing Coach Rick Smith

In April 2007, Mickelson decided to leave his longtime swing coach, Rick Smith.

September 3, 2007: Wins Deutsche Bank Championship

On September 3, 2007, Mickelson won the Deutsche Bank Championship, beating Tiger Woods while paired together on the final day for the first time.

2007: Pays Tuition for Conrad Dobler's Daughter

In 2007, Mickelson volunteered to pay tuition for Holli Dobler, Conrad Dobler's daughter, at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, after hearing about the family's struggles to pay medical bills.

2008: Wins Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial

In 2008, Mickelson won the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial.

2009: Wins Northern Trust Open and WGC-CA Championship

In 2009, Mickelson won the Northern Trust Open and the WGC-CA Championship, marking his 35th and 36th tour victories respectively.

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

In June 2009, Mickelson returned to the PGA Tour after hearing his wife's cancer was detected early. He finished runner-up at the U.S. Open for the fifth time.

2009: Wins The Tour Championship

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

2010: Strong Performance at the 2010 Masters

During the 2010 Masters, Phil Mickelson's win positioned him second only to Tiger Woods in major championships among his contemporaries, surpassing Ernie Els, Vijay Singh, and Pádraig Harrington. Mickelson's and other golfers' play made the 2010 Masters have strong television ratings in the United States.

2010: Masters Tournament Victory

In 2010, Phil Mickelson secured a Masters Tournament victory with a 16-under-par performance, besting Lee Westwood by three strokes. This win marked Mickelson's third Masters title and fourth major championship overall. A Saturday surge in the third round was critical, with Mickelson making eagle on the 13th hole and holing out for eagle from 141 yards on the 14th, followed by a near-eagle on the 15th. Mickelson ended up leading Westwood, who struggled on the 12th and 13th holes.

2010: U.S. Open and World Ranking Pursuit

In 2010, Phil Mickelson, a favorite for the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, finished T4 after shooting 75 and 66 on Thursday and Friday, then 73 on both Saturday and Sunday. Throughout the 2010 season, Mickelson had opportunities to become world number one, but disappointing finishes allowed Lee Westwood to claim the top spot.

2011: Farmers Insurance Open

In 2011, Phil Mickelson started his season at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines Golf Course. He was tied for the 54 hole lead with Bill Haas. Mickelson needed to hole out on the 18th hole for eagle from 74 yards to force a playoff with Bubba Watson, but Watson won the tournament.

2012: Bubba Watson Wins The Masters

In 2012, Bubba Watson won The Masters, and is the fourth left-handed golfer to win a major.

2012: 40th Career Victory on PGA Tour

In 2012, Phil Mickelson debuted at the Humana Challenge, finishing tied for 49th. He then rallied to win the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, marking his 40th career victory on the PGA Tour. The following week, he lost the Northern Trust Open in a three-way playoff, moving him back into the world's top 10.

2012: Challenges and Mixed Results in 2012

In 2012, Phil Mickelson faced challenges, including a withdrawal from the Memorial Tournament citing mental fatigue, and missed cuts at the Greenbrier Classic and Open Championship. He also achieved a T-7th finish at the HP Byron Nelson Championship and a T-43rd at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational.

2012: 2012 FedEx Cup Playoffs and Ryder Cup

In 2012, during the FedEx Cup Playoffs, Phil Mickelson finished T38 at The Barclays and tied for 4th at the Deutsche Bank Championship. At the BMW Championship, he finished tied for 2nd. At the Tour Championship, he finished tied for 15th. He also had a 3–1 record at the Ryder Cup, although the USA team lost the event.

2013: PGA Tour Birdie Average Leader

As recently as 2013, Phil Mickelson led the PGA Tour in birdie average, showcasing his scoring ability during his prime.

2013: Fifth Top-Five Finish

2013: 2013 Season Start

In January 2013, Phil Mickelson began the season by playing in the Humana Challenge, where he finished T37. His next event was the following week in his home event near San Diego at the Farmers Insurance Open. Mickelson finished T51.

2013: WGC-Mexico Championship Win

On March 4, 2018, Phil Mickelson ended a winless drought by capturing his third WGC championship at the WGC-Mexico Championship. He defeated Justin Thomas on the first extra hole of a sudden-death playoff. The win was Mickelson's 43rd on the PGA Tour and his first since winning the 2013 Open Championship. He also became the oldest winner of a WGC event, at age 47.

2014: Bubba Watson Wins The Masters

In 2014, Bubba Watson won The Masters.

2015: 2015 Masters Performance

Before the 2015 Masters, Phil Mickelson's best finish in 2015 was a tie for 17th. At the Masters, Mickelson finished tied for second, four shots behind Jordan Spieth. The second-place finish was Mickelson's tenth such finish in a major, placing him second all-time only to Jack Nicklaus in that regard.

2015: Hiring a New Swing Coach in 2015

In 2015, after parting ways with Butch Harmon, Phil Mickelson appointed Andrew Getson as his new swing coach, working together during the offseason.

2015: Thoughts on the 2013 Open Championship

In an interview before the 2015 Open, Phil Mickelson said, "Two years removed from that win, I still can't believe how much it means to me." Referring to the 2013 Open Championship, when he birdied four of the last six holes and won the title by three strokes.

2016: 2016 CareerBuilder Challenge

In 2016, under Andrew Getson's guidance, Phil Mickelson debuted at the CareerBuilder Challenge, finishing in a tie for third place at 21-under-par. This was only Mickelson's fifth top-five finish since his win at the 2013 Open Championship. The third-place finish was Mickelson's highest finish in his first worldwide start of a calendar year since he won the same event to begin the 2004 season.

2016: Fall of 2016

In the fall of 2016, Phil Mickelson had two sports hernia surgeries. He triumphantly returned at the CareerBuilder Challenge, leading to a T-21 finish. The next week, in San Diego, he narrowly missed an eagle putt on the 18th hole. The following week, at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, he surged into contention following a Saturday 65. He faltered with a final round 71, still earning a T-16 finish.

March 4, 2018: WGC-Mexico Championship Win

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

On November 23, 2018, Phil Mickelson won Capital One's The Match, a $9,000,000 winner-takes-all match against Tiger Woods at Shadow Creek Golf Course in Las Vegas. Mickelson needed four extra holes to beat Woods.

2018: Controversial Incident at the U.S. Open

During the third round of the 2018 U.S. Open, Phil Mickelson received a two-stroke penalty for hitting his ball while it was still moving, resulting in an 81 (+11) score. His former coach Butch Harmon thought Mickelson should have been disqualified.

2018: 2018 Ryder Cup

In 2018, Phil Mickelson was a captain's pick for Team USA at the Ryder Cup in Paris. Paired with Bryson DeChambeau in the Friday afternoon foursomes, they lost to Sergio García and Alex Norén. In the Sunday singles match, Mickelson lost to Francesco Molinari, as Team USA suffered a defeat.

December 2019: Announcement to play in Saudi International tournament

In December 2019, Phil Mickelson announced on Twitter that he would participate in the 2020 Saudi International tournament, foregoing the Waste Management Phoenix Open for the first time since 1989. This decision was met with criticism due to Saudi Arabia's human rights record.

2019: 2019 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am Victory

In 2019, Phil Mickelson won the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, defeating Paul Casey. The win marked Mickelson's 44th career title on the PGA Tour and his fifth at Pebble Beach, tying Mark O'Meara. At 48 years of age, he also became the oldest winner of that event.

February 2020: Tied for third at Saudi International tournament

In February 2020, Phil Mickelson finished tied for third at the Saudi International tournament amid controversy over his participation due to Saudi Arabia's human rights record.

June 16, 2020: Eligibility for PGA Tour Champions

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

August 2020: Elimination from FedEx Cup Playoffs

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

October 2020: Victory at Dominion Energy Charity Classic

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

February 2021: T-20 finish at Cologuard Classic

In February 2021, Phil Mickelson aimed to become the first player in PGA Tour Champions history to win his first three tournaments but finished in a T-20 position at the Cologuard Classic.

May 2021: PGA Championship Win

In May 2021, at the PGA Championship at Kiawah Island Golf Resort, Phil Mickelson won the tournament, becoming the oldest major champion at 50. He finished at 6-under, defeating Brooks Koepka and Louis Oosthuizen by two strokes. Thousands of fans swarmed him on the 18th fairway in celebration.

October 2021: Victory at 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.

November 2021: Charles Schwab Cup Championship Win

In November 2021, Phil Mickelson won the season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship in Phoenix, Arizona. This was Mickelson's fourth win in six career starts on PGA Tour Champions.

June 6, 2022: Announcement to play in LIV Golf Invitational Series

On June 6, 2022, LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman announced that Phil Mickelson would participate in the first event on the LIV Golf Invitational Series, starting on June 9, 2022.

June 9, 2022: Suspension from PGA Tour

On June 9, 2022, the PGA Tour suspended Phil Mickelson and 16 other members for participating in the LIV Golf Invitational London without permission.

2023: Tied second at the Masters Tournament

At the 2023 Masters Tournament, Phil Mickelson finished in tied second. Shooting a 65, Mickelson equaled his lowest score at Augusta almost 27 years earlier. In the last seven holes, he scored five birdies and two pars.