$300M Worth Phil Mickelson Once Casually Sipped a $40,000 Wine From Arguably the Most Prestigious Trophy in Golf

Though Phil Mickelson is widely regarded as one of the greatest golfers of this generation, his playful personality has been a vital element in his success. Lefty has always been open about his opinions and choices regardless of what others think. Today we take a look back at 2013 when Mickelson sipped a 5-figure worth of wine out of the Claret Jug.

Mickelson has 6 Major titles to his name. However, out of the 6, he has only managed to claim a single Open Championship. The win came back in 2013 when Lefty shot a 66 (−5) in the final round to get hold of his maiden and only Claret Jug.

One of the most recognizable trophies in golf is the Claret Jug, which is given to the Open Championship winner. Though it may lack in the size and flare like some other trophies, it makes up for it in its status and history. When Mickelson had the opportunity to hold the prestigious trophy, he decided to sip $40,000 worth of wine out of it.

Phil Mickelson sips wine out of Claret Jug

The winners of the Open Championship have to return the trophy a year later before the commencement of next year’s event. While giving back his Claret Jug, Lefty shared all the details of what he did with the prestigious trophy.

Phil Mickelson said, “I’ve loved having the Jug with me for the last 12 months. The people who know and love the game get a big kick out of it. They really appreciate what it means to hold such a famous trophy”. Phil then discusses sipping several drinks out of the Claret Jug. However, according to him, the 1990 Romanee-Conti, which is worth $40,000, was a standout compared to all other drinks.

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Mickelson added, “I only let them drink the good stuff of course. There’s been nothing in there that is sub-par. But the best was a 1990 bottle of Romanee Conti wine. It wasn’t on my dime thankfully. It costs about $40,000.”

A few weeks later, the story was received with a mixed reaction from the public. Some laughed at the statement, while others considered it to be disrespectful. However, Phil Mickelson made another statement to avoid any further scrutiny. He said, “I stressed that we have to treat the claret jug with reverence and respect that it deserves and only put good stuff in it.”

Some may hate to hurt the sentiments of history, others may consider it the beginning of new traditions. Last month, after his historical win at St. Andrews, Cameron Smith also shared a video of drinking beer out of the Open Championship trophy. Mickelson truly has a revolutionary mind that has helped in changing the outlook of the game. And that is why most golfers follow in the footsteps of the 6 time Major Champion.

Would you like to take a sip of your favorite drink from the Claret Jug? Let us know in the comments section below!

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