It’s US Open week at Shinnecock Hills, a place that brings back two indelible memories of Phil Mickelson.
The first was in 2004 when he faced Retief Goosen. Mickelson tied with Goosen in 71, but bogeyed the par-3 17th and lost the tournament – one of his second six US Open bids.
The second was in 2018. Lefty wasn’t in contention that week, but he made headlines by hitting a moving ball onto the 13th green, something no rational golfer would ever do. My colleague at the time, John Hopkins i Global Golf Postwent on national television and called Mickelson a “stupid ass” for what he did (Hoppy later apologized to Phil even though the statement was accurate).
I wish we could bring back that “fat ass” version of Mickelson. I wish we could bring back that “US Open second runner-up” version of Mickelson.
We’re in a different, much more depressing era of Mickelson’s career right now.
Mickelson has burned through all his goodwill
Remember the 2021 PGA Championship where Mickelson wowed the golf world by inexplicably becoming the oldest major champion in golf history?
At that time, his popularity increased. Mickelson was covered by the crowd at Kiawah.
Aside from the 2004 Masters, Mickelson was never more of a hero than five years ago at the PGA as he rallied for one last major.
But since then, Lefty has burnished his reputation in a way that few saw coming.
Of course, Mickelson has always been a wild card. The optimist calls it fun; the pessimist calls it false.
Not unlike Bryson DeChambeau, Mickelson is a performance art king. He’s the smartest guy in the room, someone who loves the sound of his own voice. His golf matched his personality as he made a career out of reverse, believing he could hit the heroic shot. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn’t.
Mickelson wowed fans with his gunslinging nature, endless autograph sessions and a certain villainous mentality — even as he built the Hall of Fame career of a perennial favorite.
Throughout his career, Mickelson was just Mickelson. Many golf fans could see through the facade – that his true nature was far more problematic than what appeared on the surface – but most of his shortcomings were not considered offensive. If anything, they added to the fun, somewhat independent character he had built.
These last five years? Maybe it all finally caught up with him.
Mickelson’s next golf chapter focused on a broadcasting career. He would be a captain of the US Ryder Cup, a ceremonial figure at the Masters, an ambassador of the game. The possibilities were endless.
Instead, Mickelson got burned earth and may have thrown away those opportunities.
He played a crucial role in tearing the pro golf world apart; he called the Saudis “scary mothers” and then claimed his comments were off the record; he went off the grid and skipped the Masters; he went from one of golf’s all-time great press-room talkers to an all-mouth puppet using defensive generalities; he got deep into the political conspiracy on Twitter; the severity of his sports gambling addiction came to light (allegedly he has lost hundreds of millions); and, according to a recent Golf Digest reporthe lost a course membership due to non-consensual and inappropriate contact with a female employee at The Farms in Rancho Santa Fe, California. (Golf Digest says the club confronted Mickelson immediately after the alleged incident, in the middle of a round, and he was told to leave the premises immediately. He was not allowed to return to the club.)
It turns out that when Mickelson’s performance on the course no longer carries weight — and he hasn’t been the least bit relevant since a stunning runner-up finish at the 2023 Masters — his creepiness has replaced his charm.
It’s honestly just depressing that he’s become this way. Even Phil’s biggest haters don’t want to see that.
I’m not sure Mickelson has much of a meaningful future in golf after burning a few bridges.
Why is it easier to forgive Tiger than Phil
The two biggest stars of the game were Tiger and Phil.
Perhaps their greatness has come at a cost, because their personal lives seem in tatters.
Tiger has done some unforgivable things. Put your life at risk. Marital infidelity.
But at the same time, you can connect the dots with Tiger. He destroyed his body in an attempt at legendary heights. He probably destroyed many relationships too. He became addicted to painkillers. His story, while incredibly reckless, feels more understandable than despicable. There is some sympathy for a man who was built to dominate a sport and is now dealing with the consequences of that.
Perhaps you could apply some of these same principles to Mickelson, but Phil’s last five years have been marked by a vindictive and unforgiving attitude. It stinks and shows moral bankruptcy. There’s a sense that maybe he’s a great golfer who’s just not a great guy – even though he used to wear the mask of everyone.
The tiger never wore that mask. He never represented the common man. It was how unusual he was that made him a hero.
And maybe that’s why it’s easier to forgive him. His life is so special and incredible.
Mickelson gave the image of more balanced priorities, but it seems like that image was doing a heavy lifting for what was underneath.
I think we now know what’s underneath. It’s not pretty.
Top Photo Caption: Phil Mickelson has burned a lot of goodwill in recent years. (GETTY IMAGES/Michael Miller)
