Phil Mickelson’s Re-Surfacing Stunt Leaves Golf World Stunned Days After His “Hostility” Remarks on PGA Tour

Jul 4, 2024 | 12:34 PM EDT

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Phil Mickelson's back—Is he a hero or a villain in the golf world now?

The July 4th festivities just got a notch more interesting. A recap of Phil Mickelson’s “Happy Fourth” stunt from 2018 recently made its way to X. Dressed in red, blue, and white, Mickelson was seen knocking a bottle off of Zach Johnson’s head with his unmatched moves. While this stunt hopefully did not cause any injuries, it sure led to a good round of laughter among the audience.

First seen on Bleacher Report, via Bubba Watson, this throwback post originally read, “Phil Mickelson was practicing this move all summer,” giving the fans a good deal of entertainment, golf, and patriotism, all wrapped in a 4-second clip. Maybe that’s why it has become a funny July 4th stable on social media.

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But this was not the only time Mickelson has been on the golf world’s radar. A few days ago, the 54-year-old’s change of heart regarding his previously held position against the PGA Tour came to light. What Mickelson deemed as “manipulative, coercive,” and “obnoxiously greedy,” per Alan Shipnuck earlier, he now believes he needs “to let go of all of those experiences I have had in the past that were less than positive… of my hostilities, and we all do for the better of the game.”

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What do you think of Phil Mickelson's latest stunt?

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Phil Mickelson's back—Is he a hero or a villain in the golf world now?

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— NUCLR GOLF (@NUCLRGOLF) July 4, 2024

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Mickelson’s sudden change of opinion, combined with his nostalgic July 4th gesture, has sparked a lot of discussion among fans. While some fans seemed shocked to see the HyFlyers GC Captain’s flexibility levels, others are more concerned if it’s really him performing these hilarious (almost dangerous but funny) stunts. So what did the fabs exactly have to say?

What’s your perspective on:

Phil Mickelson's back—Is he a hero or a villain in the golf world now?

Have an interesting take?

Fans share a laugh at Phil Mickelson’s stronghold on headlines with his throwback July 4th stunt

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There seemed to be a widespread awe among fans of the 54-year-old. Shocked and maybe inspired, an unbelieving fan questioned, “Phil Mickelson?” This expressed the disbelief among fans seeing probably one of the smoothest golfers performing a very smooth stunt, wearing an ensemble only a few of them could imagine him wearing.

An impressed (albeit shocked) fan added, “Is that f**king Phil? That man’s flexible as hell,” pointing out his swift leg swing over a frozen Johnson’s head. Yet another shocked fan quickly admitted, ” I can feel my hamstring popping just watching that,” expressing their surprise at the 54-year-old’s smooth leg swing and even smoother landing.

Adding their name to the list of shocked fans, a user wrote, “The older you get!…” This remark possibly hinted at Mickelson’s interest in remaining lively at heart despite his age, celebrating the glory of America in his unique festive way.

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Some fans saw this throwback video as a form of opportunity. A user on X suggested, “Let’s see Tiger do that!” possibly taking a hit at the 48-year-old’s long-going struggle with injuries in his lower body. Their remark also likely drew a comparison between Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, two golfing greats from different ends of the golf world.

It seems Lefty is in the mood to remain at the top of golf world headlines for a while longer.