For decades, the parallel journeys of Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson defined an era in golf—one marked by brilliance, pressure, and the relentless pursuit of greatness. Yet as time rewinds and we revisit the critical junctures of both their careers, Mickelson’s career has long been entangled with the shadow and spotlight of Tiger Woods. Now, a compelling new discussion has emerged not just about Mickelson’s triumphs, but about the moments that might have shaped his legacy differently.

Phil Mickelson could have won more

Earlier this year, Michael Arkush released a book titled ‘The Golf 100.’ The book ranks the greatest 100 golfers of all time, both men and women, and blends quantitative data with biographical storytelling to offer a holistic view of each player’s impact on the sport. Speaking to Gary Williams at the 5 clubs studio, Arkush explains his methodology for arriving at his final list, including the use of major championships as a primary metric. Arkush ranked Phil Mickelson 13th on the list, and Williams felt his ranking wasn’t justified. He felt that Mickelson should have been placed atleast closer to the top, because he’s had six major championships, and has had 57 wins in his entire professional career.

Mickelson won his first major after the age of 30, and has won 45 times on the PGA Tour, ranking him 8th on the list of all-time wins. He had one of his hardest losses at the 2013 U.S. Open, where he lost to Justin Rose by a single stroke, but still went on to win the Open Championship a month later. While Arkush felt Williams’ argument was great, he felt that Mickelson didn’t take enough advantage when Woods was retweaking his swing —“I think your argument is great, but I just can’t imagine him being better than Gary Player or Tom Watson. Okay. Right off the bat, there. So both of whom have more major victories than him. And the other thing with Phil is there were a lot of opportunities, especially when Tiger was retooling his swing, where Phil didn’t take advantage of that and win those majors.”

Until 2004, Tiger Woods had 8 major championships under his belt, and had made nearly 142 cuts in a row. But it was that year, when Woods decided to change his golf swing— a swing that brought him so much success. He fired his then coach, Butch Harmon, and moved to Hank Haney, with whom he eventually won six majors. But making such a change during a crucial moment in his career could have been a disastrous move for Woods, but advantageous for players like Mickelson. While Mickelson did have three major wins between 2004 and 2006, Arkush is suggesting that someone with Mickelson’s talent should have won many more titles.

He describes Mickelson as “another all-time great who underachieved,” in his book, and things could have turned out differently for him. Had he taken advantage of Woods’ major swing change, where Tiger Woods nearly lost two full years at the height of his dominance, Mickelson’s career trajectory could have been completely different today. And for that reason, Arkush admits that his ranking of Mickelson was fair — “Um, look, Phil Mickelson is an amazing player. I just not only when you do the numbers but I think of the lost opportunities I can’t see him being higher than 13.” But what were Mickelson’s career achievements when put next to Woods’?

A look at the achievements of Woods and Mickelson’s

While Mickelson turned professional almost four years before Woods, he won his first major only in 2004 when he edged out Ernie Els at the Masters. Woods, a dominant force from the time he stepped on the tour in 1996, won his first major within just a year at the 2007 Masters, when he was just 22. Woods has 15 major championships and 82 wins on the PGA Tour, ranking him first on the list of all-time wins. He reigned as the World No.1 for a record of 683 weeks and redefined what was possible in professional golf.

Phil Mickelson, though often seen in the shadow of Woods, boasts a remarkable career in his own right. With six major championships and 45 PGA Tour wins, Mickelson’s longevity and flair have made him a fan favorite. Known for his bold shot-making and short-game brilliance, and his iconic ‘flop shots,’ Mickelson is still relevant across decades. He made history in 2021 when he won the PGA Championship, becoming the oldest player to win a major at age 50. While Woods often overshadowed him during their concurrent peaks, Mickelson’s consistency, charisma, and ability to compete well into his 50s have cemented his status as one of golf’s all-time greats.