Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson are the two most prominent names in golf. Woods is a former No.1 who is a member of the PGA Tour. In contrast, Phil was with the PGA Tour for almost three decades before he joined Liv Golf earlier this year. Woods still supports PGA Tour and is against LIV Golf. There is bound to be some heat between the two.
They are not rivals; they just have different beliefs. But this heat was not since the LIV Golf came into existence. There was an incident years back where a comment by Mickelson created headlines, and later, he had to explain his stance.
Phil Mickelson and his comment on Tiger Woods
A comment by Phil Mickelson in 2003 was making rounds in a sports magazine. In an interview, Phil was asked about his relationship with Woods, and if they both had any bitterness among them. Mickelson pointed out that they were on good terms, and there might be one difference…that even though he had a better swing than Phil, Woods had inferior equipment. He said, “He hates that I can fly it past him now. He has a faster swing speed than I do, but he has inferior equipment.”
The magazine took this the wrong way. They did not discuss the part where Mickelson said that Woods is the only golfer who can play great even with inferior equipment. Phil later cleared it that his comment did not mean any disrespect to Woods. He appreciated him for his great game and techniques. Hence, there was no negative intent.
Mickelson and Woods – not enemies
For over two decades, fans have seen Woods and Phil engaging in banter or competing. But in 2018, they practiced together as a team and had a good time before the 2018 Master. In the same year, the five-time green jacket winner cleared the doubts. According to Woods, his friendship with Phil has developed over 20 years. And he is hoping for more fun and competition between him and Phil.
Similarly, Mickelson cleared his respect for Woods for his golf game and was happy about the revenues he brought to the game. Phil said their friendship improved when they worked together during the Ryder Cup in 2016. Phil was part of team USA, whereas Woods was the assistant captain of the team event.
What do you think about Phil’s comments? Was it disrespectful or was it an appreciation for Woods? Let us know in the comment section below.
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