Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods (Credit: Handout Photo by Getty Images for The Match via Imagn Images)
Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson have one of the most well-known rivalries in golf. The highlight of their rivalry came in 2018 during The Match where the duo faced each other in a one-on-one game at Shadow Creek Golf Course in North Las Vegas, Nevada.
During the event, Phil Mickelson made a hilarious comment after Tiger Woods’ missed birdie. Golf podcaster and writer Shane Bacon shared on his X about the comment. Mickelson said (via Shane Bacon’s X):
“Shane, I think I willed that one out of the hole.”
The format of the event was match-play and both played 18 holes against each other. Mickelson took the lead on the second hole of the game and went one up. After Woods scored a birdie on par-5 seventh and levelled the game. However, Mickelson quickly regained the lead with a birdie on the very next hole.
Woods levelled up again on the 11th hole and notched a birdie on the 12th hole to go one up. Both were tied with each other after 18 holes, sending the match to extra holes.
Mickelson won the game on the 22nd hole and won a prize money of $9 million. The duo faced each other again in the second edition, in a foursome match. Woods was paired with Peyton Manning while Mickelson was paired with Tom Brady. Woods’s team won the game 1 Up at Medalist Golf Club in Hobe Sound, Florida.
A look at Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods’ records
Both Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson are legends of the game. Mickelson turned professional in 1992 while Woods did in 1996.
On the PGA Tour, Mickelson has played in 666 events and has won 45 tournaments while Woods has competed in 378 events and won 82 of them. Mickelson has 138 top-5 finishes while Woods has 163 top-5 finishes. Wood’s official earnings from the Tour are $120.9 million while Mickelson’s earnings are $96.6 million.
Mickelson won six Majors while Woods won 15. Woods has competed in 95 Major tournaments and made cuts in 78 of them and had 41 top-10 finishes. Mickelson, on the other hand, has played in 125 Major tournaments while making cut in 102 of them. He has 40 top-10 finishes.
Here are the six Major wins of Phil Mickelson’s golf career:
- 2004 Masters Tournament
- 2005 PGA Championship
- 2006 Masters Tournament
- 2010 Masters Tournament
- 2013 The Open Championship
- 2021 PGA Championship
Here are the 15 Major wins of Tiger Woods’s golf career:
- 1997 Masters Tournament
- 1999 PGA Championship
- 2000 U.S. Open
- 2000 The Open Championship
- 2000 PGA Championship
- 2001 Masters Tournament
- 2002 Masters Tournament
- 2002 U.S. Open
- 2005 Masters Tournament
- 2005 The Open Championship
- 2006 The Open Championship
- 2006 PGA Championship
- 2007 PGA Championship
- 2008 U.S. Open
- 2019 Masters Tournament