Phil Mickelson Reaches Out to PGA Tour Pro in Public Message After His Emotional Ryder Cup Admission

It’s been a year of firsts for him. From winning his first PGA Tour events to climbing the FedEx Cup standings, he’s come a long way. Yet, the Ryder Cup was the one thing that had eluded him until now. Going from a desk job to being a captain’s pick, Griffin’s story is proof that belief and hard work can turn a dream into history. Even golf legend Phil Mickelson took notice, sharing words of praise for the rising star.

Returning from the Tour Championship, Ben Griffin shared an emotional post looking back on his year, “Four years ago I wanted to give up the game forever. I have the strongest team around me that brought me back, and now I’m going to give it all to help this team win at Bethpage. LFG”  To which Phil Mickelson replied, “👏👏 congratulations. You’re an inspiration.”

Griffin’s story has been one of the sport’s most inspiring comebacks. After stepping away from golf in 2021 to work as a mortgage loan officer, he returned to the PGA Tour in 2023. And after two years of perseverance and consistent play, he recorded two victories, including the 2025 Zurich Classic in New Orleans with Andrew Novak and the 2025 Charles Schwab Challenge in Fort Worth, along with 10 top-10 finishes, including second at The Memorial, eighth at the PGA Championship, 10th at the U.S. Open, and T10 at the TOUR Championship. Over 28 starts, he earned nearly $10 million and finished sixth in the regular-season FedEx Cup points standings, becoming the fourth-highest rated American by strokes gained. 

Now with the Ryder Cup on the horizon, Ben Griffin says he’s fully focused on Bethpage and ready to give everything for Team USA. This will be his first Ryder Cup, which makes the selection even more significant. His inclusion was also surprising, as he had never played in the event before. Griffin shared that he’s “excited to work hard and fight for a lot of points” and expressed gratitude to Keegan Bradley for the trust, calling it an honor to be chosen. Bradley, who decided not to pick himself as a playing captain, sacrificed his own spot to give opportunities to players who deserved it. Now all eyes will be on Bethpage to see if Griffin was the right choice.

And, as per golf veteran Phil Mickelson, he indeed deserved this spot. Even though they aren’t in the same league, Ben Griffin and Lefty have a good relationship. Earlier this year at Oakmont, Griffin talked well about Mickelson, “Phil is a great guy, it was good to talk to him.” He added, “Phil is a guy that I definitely watched throughout my junior golf and throughout childhood and was a good guy to kind of follow and be inspired by.” Mickelson has been an inspiration for Griffin, and now Mickelson is saying the exact same thing for Griffin. Karma works wonders sometimes, even in golf.

With the Ryder Cup just a month away, Phil Mickelson has been closely following the team talks. He hasn’t just praised Ben Griffin for his breakthrough season and captain’s pick; he’s also publicly commended Keegan Bradley, the U.S. captain, not once but twice

Mickelson Praises Bradley Twice for Selfless Ryder Cup Decision

Bradley’s choice to skip playing in the 2025 Ryder Cup wasn’t easy. Playing in the event had been a lifelong dream, and he had worked for years to earn a spot on the team. Many expected him to pursue the rare honor of being a playing captain, but he ultimately decided to put the team first. Golf writer Kyle Porter highlighted this selfless decision in a post, saying, “The one guy who is most obsessed with playing in a Ryder Cup just said, ‘I’m going to sit it out because I value the team more than my own desires.’…Big boy stuff from Keegan.” Mickelson responded to Porter’s post simply, “Well said 👏,” signaling his respect for Bradley’s choice to prioritize the team over his own ambitions.

Mickelson didn’t stop there. Later, he reposted another tweet that compared Bradley’s composure and class to Arnold Palmer, saying, “Keegan did a great job today and was as classy as the king. He’s leading by example and is showing why he’s a great choice to lead this team.” For Mickelson, known for his playful jabs and sharp commentary, this kind of straightforward praise is rare. By simply appreciating his selfless act twice, Mickelson emphasized not just admiration for the captain’s decision but also the importance of selfless leadership in shaping the U.S. team’s chances at Bethpage.