‘FIGJAM’: Decoding a Forgotten Phil Mickelson Nickname That Lefty Used to Hate

Published 06/18/2022, 9:00 AM EDT

It is not a secret that the golf world calls Phil Mickelson ‘Lefty’ for playing with his left hand, although he is otherwise a right-hander. TV commentators, on the other hand, call him ‘Phil the Thrill’ for his go-for-broke golf style. While the golfer likes these nicknames, there is one that he despises.

The six-time major winning champion is now famous among fans and fellow golfers for being friendly. However, this was not the case during the first half of his career. At least not with his fellow golfers which led to the nickname – ‘FIGJAM.’

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The meaning of the word is “F***, I’m good, just ask me.” Although Bleacher Report named it at the top of their best nickname list, nobody calls Mickelson by this name anymore.

Who nicknamed Phil Mickelson FIGJAM?

According to his old colleagues, Mickelson was not the funny and goofy golfer that the golf world now gets to see. GQ magazine even had him listed in their ‘The Ten Most Hated Athletes’ list in 2006.

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According to a reporter from the 2005 PGA Championship, a player revealed how different he is with them from his fans. “They (fans) don’t know him the way we do,” he said. “He annoys everybody.”

The golfer earned his nickname FIGJAM from his old colleagues since they found his behavior to be more overconfident and arrogant.

What do the players think of the six-time major winner now?

Mickelson is not FIGJAM anymore. In fact, Golf Week named him one of the most approachable golfers on the Tour in 2016.

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The six-time major winning champion can be seen making pranks on the young golfers and being fun on the course. Interestingly, the golfer’s pranks don’t limit to just fellow golfers. He once pulled a prank on his then caddie Jim ‘Bones’ Mackay, making him believe that was getting arrested.

Notably, the golfer is friendly enough that he lets others prank and make fun of him, and get away with it.Keith Mitchell, aka “Master of Pranks,” once pranked the senior professional at the Wells Fargo Championship. Although the six-time major winner was not happy with the prank at first, he laughed it off later. Notably, Mitchell was just a rookie on the Tour then.

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Phil Mickelson is one of the most friendly players on the Tour. Yet, his old colleagues had a different opinion and thus got onto name him ‘FIGJAM’. Were you aware of this nickname?

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Written by:

Anjana Prabhakaran is a Golf content writer at EssentiallySports. She has completed her Master's degree in Public Administration and considers researching as one of her hobbies. As her family is interested in sports, Anjana grew up watching every sport on television.

Edited by:

Manaal Siddiqui

‘FIGJAM’: Decoding a Forgotten Phil Mickelson Nickname That Lefty Used to Hate

Who nicknamed Phil Mickelson FIGJAM?

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What do the players think of the six-time major winner now?