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Reuters

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Reuters

Phil Mickelson is widely regarded as one of the most talented golfers of all time. His playful character along with his unmatched talent on the golf course is what makes him unique. Lefty has had several close calls in the past when it comes to winning a tournament. But despite that, he doesn’t hesitate in entertaining the crowd. Today we take a look back at the time when Mickelson lost the event by a single point, yet entertained the crowd.

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Phil has 45 professional wins to his name which also include his 6 Major triumphs. While he enjoyed his glory days at the PGA Tour, Mickelson now looks to start a new chapter of his career at LIV Golf.

However, back in 2011, Phil Mickelson started his season after participating in the Farmers Insurance Open. Returning from a season that saw Lefty wear the famous green coat of the Masters for the third time in his career, the golfer had hype surrounding him. Nonetheless, Mickelson fell short of a win.

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Joyful Phil Mickelson loves having fun with the crowd

With tensions running high, Mickelson did put on a show at Torrey Pines. He shot four birdies on the back nine that helped him in having a playoff with Bubba Watson. Unfortunately for Lefty, he lost by one shot on the last hole, giving Watson his 2nd professional win.

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USA Today via Reuters

Despite his close loss, Phil Mickelson remained positive around the crowd. He flashed his iconic sweet smile and did the usual Mickelson things. Lefty then handed a golf ball to a little girl who was missing two front teeth and wrote the word “sorry”—a frown inside the “o”—on one of his golf gloves for a spectator he’d hit in the back with an errant drive.

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Read More: When $300M Worth Phil Mickelson Was Forced to Borrow $1 to Pay Off a Bet

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Phil Mickelson then went on to sign several autographs in the crowd. It is quite evident that the 51-year-old didn’t finish where he’d wished for. However, despite that, Mickelson continued showing love to everyone around.

Though the 6-time Major winner failed to win the first event of the season, he did win the Shell Houston Open later that year. Moreover, he again came close to winning the Open Championship but ended up tied to the 2nd position.

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Even so, Lefty has been under massive scrutiny for his involvement in the Saudi-funded LIV Golf, he always has been a people’s champ. He has also helped in raising millions for numerous funds over the years. It is unclear what the future holds for Phil Mickelson, but his past is what makes him a Hall of Famer.

What’s your favorite thing about Phil Mickelson? Let us know in the comments section below.

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Written by

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Abdul Bari Khan

845 Articles

Abdul Bari is a seasoned golf writer at EssentiallySports with an impressive portfolio of over 700 articles. Abdul has ‘putted’ his way into the EssentiallySports Hall of Fame with his in-depth coverage of the sport. One of Abdul's career highlights at ES was his article on Phil Mickelson's potential penalty, which received widespread praise from golf enthusiasts worldwide. Off the course, Abdul is an avid golfer himself, often found perfecting his swing on the local green. He has a particular fondness for a powerful tee shot, and his admiration for Cameron Smith stems from the player's exceptional putting and calm short approach.

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Manaal Siddiqui

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