Phil Mickelson. You either love the guy or you’re still shaking your head at that 2022 move to LIV. Honestly, there isn't much middle ground. But if we’re talking about the nickname "Lefty," we aren't just talking about a southpaw golfer. We are talking about the man who, for over three decades, became the only human being capable of making Tiger Woods look over his shoulder.
He’s 55 now. In 2026, the salt-and-pepper hair is more salt than pepper, and the thumbs-up he gives the gallery feels a bit more like a classic rock star on a reunion tour. Yet, the "Lefty the greatest of all time" debate isn't just about his 45 PGA Tour wins or those six majors. It’s about the fact that he’s actually right-handed.
Yeah. You read that right.
Philip Alfred Mickelson does everything—writing, throwing a football, probably eating cereal—with his right hand. He only swings a golf club from the left side because, as a toddler, he sat in the grass and mirrored his father’s right-handed swing. It was a glitch in the matrix that created the most successful left-handed golfer in history.
The Short Game Nobody Can Touch
If you’ve ever watched Phil near a green, you know the vibe. It’s stressful. He’ll have a ball buried in deep rough with a bunker between him and a short-sided pin. Most pros play for the middle of the green. Phil? He pulls a 64-degree wedge, opens the face until it’s flat as a pancake, and swings like he’s trying to chop down a tree.
The ball goes straight up. I mean, sky-high. It lands like a butterfly with sore feet and stops dead.
That’s the Mickelson magic. He’s arguably the greatest short-game artist to ever live, even better than Seve Ballesteros. In the 2025 LIV season, even as his driving distance started to dip slightly, he was still ranked in the top 10 for wedge play from 150 yards and in. The touch doesn't age.
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He’s won three Masters titles (2004, 2006, 2010), and a lot of that is because Augusta National is a short-game playground. If you can’t scramble there, you’re toast. Phil didn't just scramble; he turned it into performance art.
That 2021 PGA Championship Miracle
We have to talk about Kiawah Island. It was May 2021. Phil was 50 years old. He hadn't won a major in eight years. Most people thought he was just out there to collect a check and maybe hit a few bombs for the "Phil-el-osophy" social media clips.
Instead, he went out and beat a field of guys half his age in the wind and sand of the Ocean Course. He became the oldest major champion in history. It was a "where were you" moment for golf fans. Watching him walk down the 18th fairway with thousands of fans swarming him—barely any security in sight—was pure chaos.
It was also the peak of Lefty the greatest of all time hype. He proved that even at 50, his "boring" prep work and crazy coffee diets (he’s big on the 'For Wellness' brand these days) actually worked.
The Elephant in the Room: The LIV Shift
You can't write about Phil in 2026 without mentioning the fracture. When he jumped to LIV Golf in 2022, it wasn't just a career move; it was a scorched-earth event. He lost sponsors. He lost his pristine reputation for a while. He became the "outcast."
But look at the landscape now. As we kick off the 2026 LIV season, Mickelson is still the captain of the HyFlyers GC. He’s leaning into the role of the elder statesman. While he isn't racking up wins like he used to—his last podium was a 3rd place finish in Hong Kong back in 2025—his influence is everywhere.
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The guy has a "brilliant brain," as fellow pro Eddie Pepperell recently noted. There’s a lot of talk that once Phil hangs up the competitive cleats for good, he’ll become the greatest golf commentator we’ve ever seen. He sees things on a broadcast that other guys miss. He explains the "why" behind a shot rather than just the "what."
What People Get Wrong About the GOAT Title
Is he the greatest of all time, period? No. Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods own that mountain. But is he the greatest lefty of all time?
In golf, it isn't even close. Mike Weir and Bubba Watson are legends, but they aren't in Phil's zip code.
In the broader sports world, you’ve got guys like Steve Carlton (the MLB "Lefty" with 329 wins) and Ken Griffey Jr. with that sweet, silky swing. But Phil’s longevity is what sets him apart. He turned pro in 1992 and he’s still a "box office" draw in 2026.
The U.S. Open Heartbreak
There is one glaring hole. One.
The U.S. Open.
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He has finished as the runner-up six times. Six. It’s a cruel stat. 1999, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2009, 2013. If he wins just one of those, he has the Career Grand Slam and enters the truly immortal tier with Nicklaus, Woods, Hogan, Player, and Sarazen.
As of 2026, his five-year exemption from that 2021 PGA win has finally run out. If he wants to play in the U.S. Open this year, he’s going to have to grind through qualifying or hope the USGA gives him a special exemption. Honestly? Watching Phil try to qualify like a hungry amateur would be the most "Phil" thing ever.
Why We Still Watch
We watch Phil because he’s a gambler. Not just with money (though the Bill Walters book suggested he’s bet over a billion dollars in his life), but with the ball.
He refuses to play safe.
He’ll try to hit a 300-yard 3-wood through a gap the size of a mail slot. Sometimes it works and he looks like a genius. Sometimes it ends up in a backyard in San Diego and he makes a double bogey. That’s the human element. He’s flawed, he’s bold, and he’s never, ever boring.
Whether you think he’s a hero or a villain, Lefty changed the way the game is played. He made the flop shot a staple. He made "hitting bombs" a lifestyle. And he did it all while mirroring a right-handed world.
Actionable Insights for Following Phil in 2026:
- Watch the Short Game: If you want to improve your own golf game, ignore Phil’s driver. Look at his hand position on chips. He keeps his weight forward and accelerates through the ball.
- Follow the HyFlyers: If you're tracking his current form, the LIV team format is where he spends his time now. He's more of a mentor to guys like Brendan Steele these days.
- Check the Exemptions: Keep an eye on the USGA announcements for the 2026 U.S. Open. Whether he gets in will be the biggest story of the summer.
- Listen to the Pressers: Phil’s media appearances are basically masterclasses in sports psychology and course management. He’s always been the smartest guy in the room, even when he’s being the most controversial.