Former LIV Golf veteran Phil Mickelson credits all his success to Tiger Woods

The Tiger Woods vs. Phil Mickelson rivalry has dominated golf news for years. However, there’s a positive side as well, an inspirational one about how competition creates greatness. Former LIV golfer Pat Perez revealed how Woods not only outplayed Lefty, but he also transformed him into a Hall of Famer, as we all know now.

“The intimidation factor that Tiger had is like nothing; you know, you might not see it again.” On February 5th, Perez stated on the Golf Subpar Podcast. “As great as Phil is, Tiger pushed him right here. He’s got 46 wins, six majors, and won one at 50.”

Phil Mickelson loses to Tiger Woods in the PGA Tour

They have 21 major titles and 127 PGA Tour victories between them. Mickelson’s last major came in 2021 when he won the PGA Championship at 50 years, 11 months, and 7 days, becoming the oldest major winner.



Tiger Woods repeatedly defeated Mickelson by slim margins in their early pairings: 71 to 73, 68 to 75, and 72 to 71. Overall, in rounds where both played in the same group and faced off against each other on the PGA Tour, the following statistics are as follows:

• Woods shot a lower round 19 times.
• Mickelson shot lower 15 times.
• They tied 4 times

Phil Mickelson says Tiger Woods's rivalry elevated him

In 2007, Mickelson recruited Butch Harmon, a swing coach who had previously worked with Woods; he improved his fitness routine and sharpened his short game. The decision paid off immediately, as Lefty won his first Players Championship that spring. Mickelson was dubbed "Tiger Slayer" when he shot 64 to Woods' 75 at the 2012 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, an 11-stroke thumping victory. It wasn’t luck. It was the outcome of years spent responding to Woods’s game.

“He owned me head-to-head until ’07. Over the course of my career, I believe that he pushed me to achieve a higher level of play,” Mickelson confirmed in 2015. It was more than just respect; it was recognition that the power of one rival had influenced his entire professional path.

At the 2017 PGA Championship, five years later, Mickelson showed the extent of Woods's impact. “He forced everybody to work a little bit harder. He forced everybody to look at fitness as a big part of the game of golf, and I think that’s actually helped me with longevity,” Mickelson stated. “I don’t think I would have had the same level of success had he not come around.”

Tiger Woods also helped Phil Mickelson extend his career by encouraging him to perform better. He even claimed that the 15x major winner pushed him to swing harder. Mickelson was not alone in feeling this. Ernie Els, who finished second to Woods multiple times in majors, echoed the sentiment.





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