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In the 2004 Ryder Cup, U.S. captain Hal Sutton paired Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, hoping to leverage their star power. The decision backfired as the duo lost both matches on the opening day. Nearly two decades later, their rivalry remains a defining narrative in golf.

Despite occasional collaborations, such as their 2018 exhibition match, the tension still persists. Recently, a golf analyst commented on Mickelson’s social media, adding another layer to their complex relationship

On a recent episode of the Fried Egg Golf podcast on YouTube, Brendan Porath and Andy Johnson were discussing how Tiger Woods underwent another surgery. It was the seventh back surgery for Woods. Andy Johnson added how he expected to witness more of Woods’ strikes if he had not reduced his competitive presence owing to the injuries. He stated, “Wasn’t that long ago when he won, and he looked so good. After the Masters, you really thought you were going to get a couple more years, and it’s sad that we didn’t.” Meanwhile, Brendan Porath decided to take a dig at Phil Mickelson’s recent activity on X.

Porath bluntly shared his opinion, stating, “Phil was on his computer tweeting about everything. Regardless of whatever you think about his positions, like he shouldn’t be on his like phone tweeting about all this random like it’s kind of sad, you know”. 

Sharing his take on the matter concerning Woods’ physical condition, Porath added, “I’m not saying he’s embarrassing himself necessarily, but it’s been sort of a a mess really since between the car accident, the Achilles, who the hell knows like what happened. Now he’s got another back surgery.” While expressing his doubt, Porath further stated, “Tiger’s body is just broken in a hundred different ways”.

Yet, even amid the tension fueled by years of on-course rivalry, Tiger and Phil have demonstrated a mutual respect off the fairways, maintaining a cordial bond beyond the lawn. In fact, Mickelson recently showed his support, sharing an empathetic tweet about Woods’ latest surgery

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Phil Mickelson empathizes with Tiger Woods despite decades of rivalry 

After a series of treatments and surgeries, Tiger Woods had to undergo yet another surgery last Friday, on October 10. He himself stated that it was lumbar disc replacement surgery for a collapsed L4/5 disc, disc fragments, and a compromised spinal canal.

Following the successful surgery, Woods added that he feels that he made the right decision. The medical procedure was conducted at New York’s Hospital for Special Surgery by Dr. Sheeraz Qureshi. Soon after the update from Woods, Mickelson shared a word of empathy for his rival.

Phil Mickelson shared a short but heartfelt message on X, saying, “I’m sorry to hear this and I wish him the best for a speedy recovery.” While Woods’ career has been marked by a series of serious injuries and surgeries, the rivalry between Phil Mickelson and Woods has kept golf fans on the edge of their seats for decades.

After yet another surgery and Woods’ absence from the competitive sphere, fans patiently wait to witness the legend strike yet again.