Phil Mickelson is considered one of the best golfers of all time. However, since he played at the same time as Tiger Woods, he had trouble winning tournaments. While many would have taken it in a negative sense, Lefty thought it encouraged him to do extra hard work. 

“I feel like Tiger coming along during my career and playing as well as he did got the best out of me,” Mickelson said. While giving an interview to CNN alongside Woods himself, he shared how Woods’ incredible career affected his. 

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“I knew for me to be able to compete with that, I had to play my best,” Lefty further added. Mickelson explained that he hadn’t faced an opponent like Tiger before in his career, and once he did, he realized that he would need to up his game to be the best. “It took a 100% dedication,” the golfer added. 

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Phil Mickelson credits Tiger Woods for his extreme success in golf!

“I feel like the wins, and the success that I’ve had might not have been…very possibly would not be to that degree had he not come along,” Mickelson said. 

The now 51-year-old Mickelson turned pro back in 1992. Although he was able to establish his name in the golf world, he could only win five championships in the first four years of his PGA career. However, since the 1996 season, the year Woods turned pro, Mickelson has won 40 tournaments.

Although he was a great player, Mickelson couldn’t win a major in the first 10 years of his career. However, Woods had won many majors by then, including the Tiger Slam. As Lefty mentioned in the interview, Tiger’s victories, especially the majors, might have triggered him to work hard and win his first major. 

Finally, Mickelson won his first-ever major, the Masters, in 2004. It was his 43rd attempt to win a major since he turned professional. He beat Ernie Els with a one-shot lead. Subsequently, Mickelson won five more majors through his hard work and competitive spirit. His last major win was at the 2021 PGA Championship and became the first-ever golfer to win a major after turning fifty. 

The professional rivalry between Mickelson and Tiger is not new information for the golf world. However, the fact that one of them had found the other as an inspiration to work harder might be something the fans didn’t know before. What did you think of Mickelson’s confession? 

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