Phil Mickelson had a tremendously successful career after turning pro in 1992. It’s now 2024, a total of 34 years after his professional debut, and the question of retirement seems to hover around the current LIV Golf Pro. What does the 53-year-old athlete have to say to that? Well, he did not shy away from teasing the same but with a certain catch, contrary to popular demand.
A tweet was shared by Chris McKee, a golf writer, on his X handle, mentioning how Mickelson would instantly become the “most sought-after TV analyst in golf” the instant he says goodbye to playing the game professionally. The HyFlyers GC skipper, however, was quick to shut the idea down but swiftly disclosed his own plans for the future after his retirement, all the while thinking of having fun!
“Just cuz someone CAN do something doesn’t mean they SHOULD do it,” said the six-time major champ bluntly after thanking him for his kind words when McKee put forth his idea of Mickelson being a TV analyst. Instead, he was keener and visibly excited about becoming an instructor-cum-sport vlogger: “I’m going to shoot some Pros vs Schmos 9-hole matches. I’ll share insights throughout as well as talk a little smack. It won’t be the highest quality video but it’ll be fun for me to do and fun to watch I think too.”
This falls exactly in line with what he said earlier last week during LIV Golf Singapore. He had hinted at what his retirement plans might consist of during an interview with Bloomberg TV: “I’m 53 now and my career, you know, if I’m being truthful it’s toward its end.” Aside from playing his favorite game, excelling at it with a total of 57 professional wins, including six majors, is sure to have helped him find satisfaction.
Elaborating on his thoughts, Phil Mickelson was quick to share the reasoning behind his decision as well. The athlete, apparently, wants to share with others what he was able to find in the sport while alluding to the moments he shared with the golf courses, alone or otherwise: “Now, I would like to help others find the same enjoyment and fulfillment that the game of golf has provided me… There’s so many great things about the game of golf and I would love others to experience those things.”
Thank you for the kind words. However, just cuz someone CAN do something doesn’t mean they SHOULD do it. Instead of commentating, I’m going to shoot some Pros vs Schmos 9 hole matches. I’ll share insights throughout as well as talk a little smack. It won’t be the highest quality…— Phil Mickelson (@PhilMickelson) May 8, 2024
As talks of his retirement arise and dominate the headline, one can’t help but reflect back on ‘Lefty’s’ career in the sport of golf. He sure made sure to leave his mark in the golfing world by being both an ex-PGA Tour Pro as well as a LIV golfer.
A look back at Phil Mickelson’s golfing career
After turning professional in 1992, he won his first PGA Tour event at the Northern Telecom Open as an amateur. By doing so, he became the 7th non-professional golfer to win an event on the PGA Tour and held that title for a whopping 32 years until the arrival of Nick Dunlap at the 2024 American Express. After his first win, he was unstoppable, garnering victory after victory to increase his tally to 45.
Out of these 45 victories, six were major championships, including three Masters titles (2004, 2006, 2010), two PGA Championship ones (2005, 2021), and a single Open Championship triumph in 2013. However, soon after his last major win, Mickelson jumped to LIV Golf, where he started leading his own team, the HyFlyers GC, all the while raking in 3 top-10 finishes over the 27 starts in three years till Singapore.
Although he has not been able to shine as brightly on LIV Golf as he did on the PGA Tour, the golfer is not someone to be underestimated. Phil Mickelson might prove you wrong when you least expect it to happen, especially with something as big as the PGA Championship coming up!
