Getty
AUGUSTA, GA – APRIL 03: Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson of the United States talk during a practice round prior to the start of the 2018 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 3, 2018 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
Getty
AUGUSTA, GA – APRIL 03: Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson of the United States talk during a practice round prior to the start of the 2018 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 3, 2018 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
Phil Mickelson’s switch to the LIV Golf Series came as a sudden jolt for the golf community. Indeed, the 52-year-old has been one of the sport’s most charismatic figures, and has won numerous titles in his decades-old career. However, ‘Lefty’ always remained under the shadow of Tiger Woods, who scripted history with his achievements on the course. Mickelson was never able to gain the upper hand in the battle for golf’s crown, which might have been the reason for his decision to choose money over legacy.
Watch What’s Trending Now!
News stat proves why Phil Mickelson chose LIV Golf
While Mickelson enjoyed a successful golf career, it was always overshadowed by Tiger Woods’ brilliance. The former won 45 PGA Tour titles, including an impressive six major championships. ‘Lefty’ is heralded as one of the best left-handed players to ever grace the game, but he withered when compared to the legacy of Woods.
Top Stories
Indeed, Woods has achieved a record-equalling 82 PGA Tour wins as well as 15 major championships to his name. Those wins over the years have fetched him more than $100 million in prize money, precisely $120,954,766.
Getty
AUGUSTA, GA – APRIL 03: Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson of the United States talk on the 11th hole during a practice round prior to the start of the 2018 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 3, 2018 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)
The figure dwarfs that of Mickelson, who has collected around $95 million as career earnings on the PGA Tour. It resulted in his absence in the latest statistics by ‘Gold Digest,’ which sorted the top earners by country on the PGA Tour.
View this post on Instagram
Why did Phil Mickelson choose LIV Golf over the PGA Tour?
The decision of Mickelson to surrender his PGA Tour status for greener pastures on the cash-rich LIV Golf Series made quite the buzz during its early days. A lot has been said about the verdict, which has undoubtedly tarnished the golfer’s reputation among traditionalists.
But upon closer inspection, the move has been Mickelson’s way of making necessary changes on the PGA Tour. He believed that it was “a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reshape how the PGA Tour operates.”
Since joining the series, Mickelson has been a grim version of his past self on the course. He failed to win any titles in LIV Golf’s opening season, but fans expect a turnaround this season.
Watch This Story | Phil Mickelson Once Made an Honest Confession About Tiger Woods
Written by
Edited by
Manaal Siddiqui