Michael Jordan, Renowned for Being a Fierce Competitor, Once Trembled With Nerves During a Golf Tournament With Phil Mickelson

It is not a secret that NBA legend Michael Jordan is a confident athlete. He is known to make his opponents feel miserable with his talent and trash talks. However, did you know that he, too, once had to face a nerve-racking situation? 

“I’m known as a confident athlete,” MJ said, “but I found myself doubting myself.” He explained after attending the popular Western Amateur golf tournament in 1991 with Phil Mickelson. “It took me a while to really get over my nervousness,” he added. “I never really got over it.” 

Michael Jordan couldn’t keep his cool at the amateur golf event

After basketball, Jordan is often seen playing golf events whenever possible. And his love for the sport led him to compete in the 1991 Western Amateur. However, nothing went well for him as he scored 13-over 85 in the first round.

Moreover, the NBA legend failed to make the cut after the 36 holes as he had scored an overall 24-over by then, a 32-shot deficit from the leader of the field, Mickelson.  Notably, Mickelson was paired with MJ at the tournament. “I can’t remember the last time I was this type of nervous,” he said after attending the event. 

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He explained that the last time he got this nervous was in the first year of his college when he made a mistake. According to MJ, he was hard on himself then. “But I’m not going to get discouraged. I’m not going to throw the clubs in the water and keep on going,” he added. 

Who won the 1991 Western Amateur? 

The Western Amateur is one of the prestigious amateur golf tournaments. Top golfers like the 15-time major champion Tiger Woods and 18-time major winner Jack Nicklaus have won the championship as amateurs. Notably, Phil Mickelson, an amateur at the time, won the 1991 Western Amateur.

He didn’t just win the tournament. He led it from the beginning and was even leading the field after two rounds when MJ failed to make the cut. Notably, Mickelson was one of the top candidates for the tournament as he had just won a PGA Tour event, the 1991 Northern Telecom Open, as an amateur. 

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Michael Jordan is considered the GOAT of the NBA. He has won many accolades and matches for his team. However, even he got intimidated when it came to playing the Western Amateur, which Mickelson won with ease.