Phil Mickelson was surrounded by absolute mayhem at Kiawah Island, where a massive, cheering crowd gathered to celebrate his legendary performance at the PGA Championship. This win stands as a crowning achievement in a 30-year career defined by its theatrical nature and emotional highs and lows.
In the 161-year legacy of major golf championships, Mickelson is the first person to win one at the age of 50.
The final stretch was incredibly tense, and as Mickelson pushed through the dense crowd to give a thumbs-up, the pressure of securing that two-shot victory reached its peak.
Reflecting on the intensity of the moment, Mickelson admitted it felt a bit rattling, but also completely amazing.
Winning another major seemed like a distant dream, and there was little evidence to suggest it could happen until his incredible four-day run at Kiawah Island. By staying poised and executing every shot perfectly, he captured his sixth major—easily the most shocking win of his career.
Thanks to his renowned precision with the wedges, he picked up two early birdies, which gave him the cushion he needed to handle the unpredictable Atlantic winds.
With a final-round score of 1-over 73, Mickelson managed to edge out Louis Oosthuizen and Brooks Koepka by two strokes.
Mickelson expressed that this is a milestone he will treasure forever. He noted that achieving something so significant, especially when so few believed it was possible, brings an indescribable feeling of fulfillment and pride.
The drought of nearly two years without a win, his struggle to break into the top 20 since last November, and the fact that his last major win was back in 2013 at the British Open all became irrelevant in the end.
Mickelson opened up about the mental battle of believing in this victory, even when every statistic and piece of evidence suggested it was unlikely.