The year 1999 was a rollercoaster of emotions for the Mickelson family. Phil Mickelson is one of the greatest to ever swing a club. He not only has 45 PGA Tour victories, but is also the oldest man to ever win a major. The six-time major winner is unquestionably a golfing legend. But off the course, Phil is a devoted husband and father and has proved that multiple times over.

Phil and his wife, Amy, have been through many sentimental situations over their 26 years of marriage. The one that is both heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time took place in June 1999.

Phil Mickelson narrowly misses victory at Pinehurst

June 1999 saw the US Open Championship at Pinehurst, NC, and Mickelson was one of the favorites to win. At that same time, Amy Mickelson was due with their first daughter, Amanda. The couple had collectively concluded that both events were too important to miss. They chartered a jet and agreed that Phil would fly back soon after the rounds to be with Amy. Phil’s caddy, Bones MacKay, was also given a beeper, which Amy would call. If the beeper were to ring, Phil would head home immediately.

Phil played beautifully during the tournament. He was determined to hold both, his daughter and the cup in each of his hands. Phil ended the first round at the top, with three under par, and was in a four-way tie for the lead. He flew back after every round to be with Amy. By the end of the third round, Phil’s score was at par. He was just one stroke behind Payne Stewart.

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On the 18th hole of the final round, Phil was again trailing behind Stewart. To cement his victory, Payne needed to make a 15-footer. As the world held its breath, Amy watched emotionally. She said, “Payne makes this big putt at the end and it was kind of surreal. It never occurred to me that Phil wasn’t going to win. So that was hard.” Phil was devastated.

Payne graciously takes the win

Payne had just won his third major; he celebrated for a second and then did the unexpected. He walked over to Phil, took his head in both his hands, and said, “You’re going to be a great father.” 2100 miles away, Amy was crying. She said, “It was very, very emotional watching it.” Payne was a gracious victor. Amy said it was incredible how Payne had just won a major and yet acted with class; “Payne was the epitome of class at that moment.”

Amy had nothing but praise for Stewart Payne in the interviews that followed years later. “He walked over and said all those beautiful things to Phil about being a father at the same moment he was winning a major championship. It was incredible,” she said. “That major was meant to be Payne’s.”

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Phil Mickelson flew home soon after the match and not only witnessed the birth of his first daughter, Amanda but was also the one “cutting the cord.”  Mickelson lost that week, but by the end, the Open was probably the last thing on his mind.