"Possible this is the last tournament I ever win" – When Phil Mickelson made a bold prediction after his historic major triumph
In 2021, Phil Mickelson claimed the PGA Championship title after an astonishing performance in the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island. He became the oldest to win the tournament at 50 years and 11 months. Following the tournament's conclusion, the ace golfer predicted it might be his last career victory.
Mickelson turned pro in 1992 and has had a phenomenal golf career so far. With 45 PGA Tour titles, he is tied with Walter Hagen for the eighth-most victories on the PGA Tour. He is also a six-time major championship winner, winning every major except the U.S. Open.
Phil Mickelson claimed the 2021 PGA Championship trophy after scoring 6-under 282. Afterwards, he said (via PGA Tour):
“It's very possible that this is the last tournament I ever win. Like, if I'm being realistic. But it's also very possible that I may have had a little bit of a breakthrough in some of my focus, and maybe I go on a little bit of a run, I don't know.”
The San Diego-born golfer added he was excited to have accomplished the feat despite the naysayers.
“Certainly, one of the moments I'll cherish my entire life,” he said. “I don't know how to describe the feeling of excitement and fulfillment and accomplishment to do something of this magnitude, when very few people thought that I could.”
Phil Mickelson was 50 years old when he won the 2021 PGA Championship. He made history by becoming the oldest golfer ever to win a major tournament.
Interestingly, Phil Mickelson has not won another tournament since 2021. He joined LIV Golf in 2022 and has yet to claim his maiden title in the league's individual standings.
A look back at Phil Mickelson’s performance in the 2021 PGA Championship
Phil Mickelson’s opening round at the 2021 PGA Championship was off to a rough start, with a bogey on the opening hole and three consecutive bogeys from holes four to six. He managed to go bogey-free on the back nine to card 2-under 70 at the end of Day 1.
The American golfer fared better on Day 2, with three bogeys on the back nine and one birdie on the 11th. He went bogey-free on the front nine and shot five birdies to card 3-under 69.
Phil Mickelson charged into Moving Day with a bogey-free front nine and two sets of two consecutive birdies. On the back nine, he stumbled and suffered a bogey on the 12th and a double bogey on the 13th, bringing his total to 2-under 70.
During the final round, Mickelson shot three bogeys on the front nine and three on the back nine. With a total of 6-under, he won by two strokes ahead of Brooks Koepka and Louis Oosthuizen, who tied for T2 with 4-under each.