Seasoned golfer, Phil Mickelson, is all set to tee up at LIV Golf’s second event of the season at the Gallery Golf Club in Tucson. The 52-year-old will be leading the HyFlyers GC again, but this season has seen teammates come and go. But among those playing this weekend is the young star, James Piot. The talented youngster is considered to become the next superstar in golf, with Mickelson adding to his praise.

Phil Mickelson shares his experience with youngster James Piot

The veteran golfer, now 52, was speaking at the pre-match press conference ahead of this week’s LIV Tucson event. While Mickelson discussed a number of things, including the recent controversy surrounding the ‘ball rollback’ USGA ruling, he was asked about the age difference between him and his fellow teammates.

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“So you said you had your first professional win in 1991. I think, if I do the math, that’s nine years before James Piot was even born,” the golfer was asked. In reply, Mickelson amusingly said, “Yeah, I was 11,” before breaking into a hysterical laugh.

For the unversed, Mickelson won his inaugural PGA Tour event at the Northern Telecom Open on January 13th, 1991. Mickelson broke many records with his ground-breaking victory – he won the tournament as a 20-year-old while attending college. He was also an amateur during that time, with the golfer remaining the only player to have won the tournament as an amateur.

But it’s been more than three decades since that famed victory. Since then, Mickelson has won accolades all over the world and currently plays in the LIV Golf Series. He has inspired several youngsters to take up the game, including Piot himself. But how does that affect the relationship between the two golfers?

Is Mickelson mentoring Piot?

On paper, Mickelson and Piot are separated by an age gap of 28 years. For context, the former’s eldest daughter, Amanda Brynn Mickelson, is merely a year shy of Piot. So how does Mickelson traverse through the massive age difference within the team?

“He brings a very youthful energy; and his willingness to put in the work, as well as his curiosity to learn and get better, makes him a great addition,” Mickelson said of Piot. The six-time major championship winner also praised the latter’s talent and reserved him for greater things to come.

“He’s going to be an incredible player and accomplish a lot of things in this game and he’s going to be lifting up the HyFlyers as he does it,” he said.

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