Phil Mickelson Once Enraptured the Crowd Despite a Gutting Loss

Sep 1, 2022 | 12:17 PM EDT

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Phil Mickelson is widely regarded as one of the most talented golfers of all time. His playful character along with his unmatched talent on the golf course is what makes him unique. Lefty has had several close calls in the past when it comes to winning a tournament. But despite that, he doesn’t hesitate in entertaining the crowd. Today we take a look back at the time when Mickelson lost the event by a single point, yet entertained the crowd.

Phil has 45 professional wins to his name which also include his 6 Major triumphs. While he enjoyed his glory days at the PGA Tour, Mickelson now looks to start a new chapter of his career at LIV Golf.

However, back in 2011, Phil Mickelson started his season after participating in the Farmers Insurance Open. Returning from a season that saw Lefty wear the famous green coat of the Masters for the third time in his career, the golfer had hype surrounding him. Nonetheless, Mickelson fell short of a win.

Joyful Phil Mickelson loves having fun with the crowd

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With tensions running high, Mickelson did put on a show at Torrey Pines. He shot four birdies on the back nine that helped him in having a playoff with Bubba Watson. Unfortunately for Lefty, he lost by one shot on the last hole, giving Watson his 2nd professional win.

Despite his close loss, Phil Mickelson remained positive around the crowd. He flashed his iconic sweet smile and did the usual Mickelson things. Lefty then handed a golf ball to a little girl who was missing two front teeth and wrote the word “sorry”—a frown inside the “o”—on one of his golf gloves for a spectator he’d hit in the back with an errant drive.

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Phil Mickelson then went on to sign several autographs in the crowd. It is quite evident that the 51-year-old didn’t finish where he’d wished for. However, despite that, Mickelson continued showing love to everyone around.

Though the 6-time Major winner failed to win the first event of the season, he did win the Shell Houston Open later that year. Moreover, he again came close to winning the Open Championship but ended up tied to the 2nd position.

Even so, Lefty has been under massive scrutiny for his involvement in the Saudi-funded LIV Golf, he always has been a people’s champ. He has also helped in raising millions for numerous funds over the years. It is unclear what the future holds for Phil Mickelson, but his past is what makes him a Hall of Famer.

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What’s your favorite thing about Phil Mickelson? Let us know in the comments section below.

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