Phil Mickelson's Success and Achievements in Timeline

A success timeline featuring the most significant achievements of Phil Mickelson.

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

August 1985: Scott Verplank Wins Western Open

In August 1985, Scott Verplank won the Western Open. This was the most recent win by an amateur at a PGA Tour event until Mickelson's win in 1991.

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.

1992: Haskins Award

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

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

2008: Inducted into National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame

In 2008, Phil Mickelson was inducted into the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame.

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: 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: Second-Highest Paid Athlete in the U.S.

According to a 2011 estimate, Phil Mickelson was the second-highest paid athlete in the United States, earning over $62 million, with $53 million coming from endorsements.

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.

2012: Inducted into World Golf Hall of Fame

In 2012, Phil Mickelson was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame.

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: Winless Drought Ending

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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: 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.

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.