‘Forced Me To Stop My Preparation’: Phil Mickelson Once Did Not Hold Back From Exposing Tiger Woods to Reveal What Went Wrong With His Game at the 2004 Ryder Cup

Over the past two decades, the sport of golf has given birth to numerous rivalries. However, one that continues to top the list is the rivalry between Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson. Two of the most prominent names in the sport, Woods, and Mickelson, have played against each other innumerable times over the past couple of decades. However, they have made sure to not let their rivalry affect their bond.

When not on the golf course, the two share a strong bond of mutual respect and support for each other. However, going back in time, Phil Mickelson once came out in public, opening up about how Tiger Woods became the reason behind his falling performance at the 2004 Ryder Cup.

Phil Mickelson reveals how Tiger Woods affected his Ryder Cup performance

Walking down memory lane, the 2004 Ryder Cup was nothing less than a disaster for Mickelson and Woods. Pairing together twice on the first day itself, the two first suffered a loss 2 & 1 loss to Colin Montgomerie and Padraig Harrington.

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Following that, the two suffered yet another loss when asked to play an alternate shot against the pair of Darren Clarke and Lee Westwood in their second match.

In 2016, playing his 11th Ryder Cup, Mickelson indulged in a conversation with the press. During the conversation, he walked down memory lane, recalling his memory with Woods at the 2004 Ryder Cup. Elaborating on the memory, Mickelson revealed how golf balls became a point of conflict between him and the then 14-time major champion.

“[Woods] found out the year before when we played at the Presidents Cup in 2003 that the golf ball I was playing was not going to work for him,” he said. “He (Tiger Woods) plays a very high-spin ball and I play a very low-spin ball, and we had to come up in two days with a solution.

Mickelson’s effort to match up with Woods’ high-spin ball

Phil Mickelson is known for his dedicated practice sessions before every prominent tournament. The former World No. 2 makes sure to learn the golf course and polish his skills before entering any tournament. The then 34-year-old had similar plans for the 2004 Ryder Cup. However, the lesson from the 2003 Presidents Cup made him take the other path.

Recalling the time, he said he grabbed a couple of balls that Woods would use and went to the side to learn within just 4-5 hours.

While Phil made an effort to try his hands on Woods’ used high-spin ball, it left an adverse effect on his own preparation. Going ahead in the conversation he asserted, “It forced me to stop my preparation for the tournament, to stop chipping and stop putting and stop sharpening my game and stop learning the golf course in an effort to crash-course and learn a whole different golf ball that we were going to be playing.”

Disturbed by the result, Mickelson ended by asserting, “In the history of my career, I have never ball-tested two days prior to a major.

He said he had never done it because it wouldn’t allow him to give his best.

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While the words of Mickelson made headlines, the two made sure to not let it hamper their bond. Years since the press conference, the two continue to share the same bond. While Woods has been critical about the LIV golfers, he has refrained from directly calling out Mickelson for his move.

What are your opinions on Mickelson’s downfall due to the different golf balls? Do let us know in the comments below.