A T3 finish was Phil Mickelson’s best score in his LIV career, which came at the LIV Golf Hong Kong event in February. And while that wasn’t half bad considering the recent injury he had before the LIV season opener, it was still a bit of a concern that the golfer was losing touch with the game. His inconsistent play has raised questions about his current level of competition, and PGA Tour pro Jack Nicklaus just doesn’t know what Mickelson is doing.

Speaking at the Masters press conference, Nicklaus downplayed Mickelson’s recent performances on the LIV Tour, saying, “Well, you know, I don’t know what level Phil is competing at. I guess he’s still playing. He’s playing the LIV Tour, is he?.” Mickelson’s T19 finish at the LIV Golf Singapore event and 6th place finish at the LIV Golf Miami event, where he shot a 69-73-73, have not seemed to make a strong impression on Nicklaus. “I don’t know if he’s playing or not. I don’t know, you never see that anymore.” These results have left Nicklaus wondering about Mickelson’s current standing in the golf world, and he is not the only one to do that.

Legendary coach Butch Harmon recently shared his thoughts on Mickelson’s chances at Augusta, calling a potential win a “long shot”. According to Harmon, Mickelson’s age might be a concern, but his experience and knowledge of the course could still give him an edge. While it’s unlikely, Harmon can’t rule out the possibility of a Mickelson win entirely.

Meanwhile, the outlook for another golf legend around the same age group is looking brighter. Surprisingly, Nicklaus is highly optimistic about Tiger Woods’s future in golf, believing that he will make a successful comeback despite his current injuries. He expects Woods to dominate the Senior Tour when he turns 50 next year, crediting his love of competition as the driving force behind his success.

According to Nicklaus, Woods’s competitive spirit and past ability to overcome challenges make him confident that he will continue to excel in the sport. This contrasts with his views on Phil Mickelson, whom he acknowledges as a talented golfer but is uncertain about his current level of competition.

Whatever any of the golf legends say about him, the lefty is quite confident in himself, so much so that the lefty even spilled some beans on his last Masters win.

Phil Mickelson’s recipe to win a major

Phil Mickelson, the 54-year-old with three Green Jackets, was in a reflective mood at the LIV’s Miami event, sharing some of his Augusta National enlightenment. For Mickelson, learning how to win at Augusta came down to his approach to a specific hole – the par-5 Firethorn (15th). He admitted that early in his Masters career, he would “press” and “force the issue” on this hole, trying to make a 4 every time. As he said, “I would press. I would force the issue.” However, this strategy often backfired, resulting in bogeys or worse, like the double he made on the hole in the 1999 Masters.

Mickelson’s transformation came when he learned to be more patient and take a different approach. He realized that a 5 on the 15th was okay and that he didn’t need to make a 4 every time. As he explained, “When I finally did win it, I felt like, all right, a 5 is okay there. Like, I could lose the tournament on 15; I don’t need to make 4 every time.” By accepting this, he was able to focus on winning elsewhere on the course. This change in strategy seemed to be the key to his breakthrough, and he finally won his first Masters in 2004.

Even now, Mickelson still has the power to overpower the 15th, but he’s learned to adapt, experimenting with a 5-wood to add some muscle to his bag. As he said, “I’ve got one I really like and that I anticipate hitting into 13 and 15 based on the last couple of years where my ball is ending up off the tee and the yardage I have left.” With another Masters approaching, Mickelson’s got a plan, and it’s clear that he’s still got the skills and experience to make a run for it.