Watch: Vintage video shows a classic Tiger Woods-Phil Mickelson moment from 2002
Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson are two of golf's most accomplished players. During the 2000s, their hate-love rivalry was quite popular.
Although they are no longer close friends because Mickelson is competing on the turbulent LIV Golf Series and Woods is on the PGA Tour, they have had many happy experiences on the golf course.
Phil and Tiger shared a vintage yet humorous moment at the 2002 Tour Championship in East Lake. When Woods walked forward to take his shot during the event, the announcer provided a lengthy introduction to the top player. She said:
"Ladies and gentlemen, your 12:55 tee time from Windermere, Florida. Winner of 34 PGA Tour events including the 2002 Masters tournament, The US Open, The Bay Hill Invitational, The Buick Open, The American Express World Golf Championship....."
However, before she could continue further, Phil Mickelson jumped in between saying:
"All right, all right, we know."
Tiger Woods, like the rest of the audience, burst out laughing.
In 2002, the Tour Championship was held in East Lake, and Vijay Singh was the winner. He won the event by two strokes over Charles Howell II. Phil Mickelson finished fifth with David Love III, while Tiger Woods finished seventh with Chris DiMarco.
Tiger Woods had a good 2002 otherwise, winning the Masters, US Open, American Express World Golf Championship, Bay Invitational, and Buick Open. It was one of the most successful years of his career with two majors and three PGA Tour wins.
Tiger Woods-Phil Mickelson rivalry explained
Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson share a strange relationship. They have been playing together for decades now.
Last year in April, author Bob Harig released a book named "Tiger and Phil-Golf's Most Fascinating Rivalry", in which he explained the relationship between the two star golfers.
In 1998, when Mickelson and Woods were in their 20s, they agreed to bet ahead of the Nissan Open at Valencia Country Club in California to give $500 to the winner of the practice round.
Mickelson won the round and celebrated his victory by putting five photocopies of his winning amount bill in Woods' locker with a note saying:
"Just wanted you to know Benji and his friends are very happy in their new home."
Mickelson again messed with Woods in 2003. In his interview with Golf Magazine, the American golfer mocked Woods' self-designed club. Mickelson said:
"(He was the only player good enough to) overcome the equipment he's struck with."
Woods replied to him saying:
"Phil can try to be smart aleck at times."
In his book, Harig wrote:
“For once, the Tiger-Phil dynamic saw them on the same side, likely a more difficult leap for Woods than it was for Mickelson. He spent the better part of 20 years keeping Phil at a par-5 distance; now not only did they exchange phone numbers but they were also regularly texting each other to discuss strategy.”
Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson currently play in two different series.