Phil Mickelson will be known to golf folklore as one of the greatest golfers of his generation. But apart from the good and bad that come with him, which includes six major championship victories and a suspended PGA Tour membership, the veteran golfer will be remembered for his own little celebration. The iconic thumbs-up has remained a part of Mickelson’s storied career, and a recent video of a young child delving into the celebration has melted his heart.

Phil Mickelson reacts to little boy’s heartwarming thumbs-up

The veteran golfer is a keen user of social media, where he regularly channels his thoughts across various domains. Most recently, he was engaged in a heated online battle with a former PGA Tour pro on the OWGR’s reluctance to hand over ranking points to the LIV Golf Series.

Read more: With LIV Golfers Continuing To Be Bothered, Phil Mickelson Delivers Final Verdict on Lingering Issue: ‘They Have to Find Another Way’

Yet, Mickelson embraced his warm side today when he reacted to an adorable video of a young boy. In the brief clip, the kid is seen kicking a football, but in order to celebrate, he tries to figure out the thumbs-up celebration, before eventually succeeding.

A proponent of the celebration himself, Mickelson tweeted on the video with a piece of early bird advice. Check out the golfer’s tweet here:

Fans react to Mickelson’s adorable tweet

Indeed, Mickelson’s legion of Twitter followers cheered for his comment. Many also took the opportunity to congratulate the 52-year-old on his recent spark of form, which helped him to a T2 finish at the Masters Tournament last month.

Here’s a selection of those tweets:

While Mickelson wants the celebration to gain early ground, it was something that took time to grow upon him. The earliest pictures of him holding his thumb aloft on the golf course were captured while holding his first-ever major championship title, the 2004 Masters Tournament.

Since then, the seasoned golfer has formed the celebration as part of his routine on the course. Be it acknowledging the crowd’s constant support from the ropes, or acting immediately after making a decisive putt, Mickelson has given a thumbs-up at every opportunity.

Do you think we’ll see more of Mickelson’s thumbs-up in the upcoming major championships this season? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.