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Charlie Woods’s ‘Incredible’ Rival Wins Phil Mickelson’s Heart: ‘Amazing Accomplishment’

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Phil Mickelson

Phil Mickelson is in all praise of the lefty sensation. Left-handed golfers appear to be a dwindling tribe in Golf. Miles Russell, though, shows hopes of being the new lefty star. The 15-year-old set a record by becoming the youngest player to make the cut at any Korn Ferry Tour event.

It was ‘cool’, he admitted yesterday. But Russell didn’t rest on his laurels. The high-school freshman has been under par in all three rounds and currently sits at T31. An impressive KFT debut for an amateur, who, like another famous 15-year-old, Charlie Woods, is also a 2027 graduate. But Russell’s amateur resume is far better than Woods Jr. And, his latest feat has caught the attention of the most famous left-handed golfer.

Phil Mickelson feels Russell is an incredible golfer

Phil Mickelson knows what it means to stack up against pros as an amateur. After all, Lefty won the Northern Telecom Open in 1991 as an amateur. So, when Miles Russell made the KFT cut, the 45-time PGA Tour winner tweeted, “Miles Russell, a 15 year old left handed golfer made the cut in this week’s Korn Ferry event. This is an amazing accomplishment. It’s great to see a young lefty playing such incredible golf.”

Notably, Russell became the youngest champion of the Junior PLAYERS Championship last September. Prior to that, he notched a seven-stroke victory at the Junior PGA Championship. Russell was also part of the Junior Ryder Cup team. On top of that, the high school freshman was the youngest ever to earn the AJGA Boys Rolex Junior Player of the Year Award.

The record was previously held by 15-year-old Tiger Woods in 1991. Russell was ten months younger, however. Also of note, the AJGA No. 1 golfer has signed two NIL deals already, one with TaylorMade, which makes him the youngest golfer on the equipment giant’s roster. None of that is on Charlie Woods’s resume.

In fact, Russell was also in the Cognizant Classic pre-qualifier field. Both crashed out but Russell was T21, carding 2-under 70. Whereas, Woods Jr. posted 86. Arguably, teenage Woods has a distance to cover. But Phil Mickelson has been generous with young and rising stars before. He has praised Charlie Woods as well.

Charlie Woods

Mickelson chose Woods Jr. over his close competitor? 

Back in 2021, the video of Charlie Woods and Tiger Woods swinging a club side-by-side went viral. Lefty though, liked teenage Woods’s swing better than his 15-time major champion pop. Phil Mickelson tweed, “I like Charlie’s recoil better,” with a laughing emoji. Actually, the three-time Masters winner has never shied away from encouraging the juniors.

When Nick Dunlap won the American Express, Mickelson was one of the first few LIV Golfers to congratulate the University of Alabama product. The 53-year-old tweeted, “Such an impressive performance by Nick Dunlap. Congratulations on an incredible win. This is just the beginning.”

Lefties are a minority in the golf world. Mike Weir was the first left-handed golfer to win the Masters. Bubba Watson has two. And Lefty, of course, has the most decorated Augusta National resume among all three. Naturally, for Miles Russel, earning a thumbs up from the greatest left-handed golfer to ever play is a worthy recognition of his achievements.

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‘Not a Chance’: Phil Mickelson’s Biggest Critic Berates LIV Golfers for Ruining Their Own Sport’s Legacy

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Phil Mickelson

Phil Mickelson’s worst critic once again drags the LIV golf pros through the mud. Brandel Chamblee, who has repeatedly criticized the LIV Golfers for their decisions, tweeted that the jump to the Saudi-backed side has come at their own cost. It’s their legacy they have tainted and, in some cases, let go of.

Chamblee questioned, “Are they as hungry?”, “Are they as tuned into the pulse of the core golfer, that BTW pays for the game and their salaries at least here in America?” The answer, according to the veteran broadcaster, was a big no. Chamblee also doesn’t think that golf will benefit in any way from this. Blasting the claims of ‘growing the game,’ the 61-year-old analyst wrote, “Will the game benefit from their decisions to go to LIV? Not a chance.”

Upping the ante further, Chamblee claimed that it only benefits “The Saudis. MBS (Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, the Saudi Crown Prince). Yassir (Yasir Al-Rumayyan, PIF Chairman). Top 30 players in the world.” The veteran Golf Channel analyst has time and again raked the LIV Golfers over the coals for ‘selling out’ to the breakaway side.

Phil Mickelson, being the face of the breakaway side and also the recruiter, quickly drew the ire of the veteran analyst. Since Mickelson joined the Saudi-backed side, Chamblee and the Lefty have been in a verbal spat that has led to blocking each other on X (formerly Twitter.) Notably, the six-time Major winner spared no words in lambasting Brandel Chamblee after he responded to the “paid actor” jab by Brooks Koepka’s coach with a lengthy tweet.

Chamblee once again disputed Mickelson’s claims that more PGA Tour pros are in line to join the breakaway side. In fact, the former professional golfer went to the length of saying that Jon Rahm “sold his career” to the PIF-funded league in a Golf Central interview. This time, however, the analyst was responding to Webb Simpson’s recent comments.

 

 

Webb Simpson feels sad for Dustin Johnson

The PGA Tour pro from La Quinta said that although Dustin Johnson is his buddy, he is still “a little sad” for the 39-year-old. “I love Dustin (Johnson), he’s a buddy of mine, but he had the opportunity to go down as one of the top 10 greatest players ever, and as soon as he signed his name to LIV – he still could be, but in the record books, we’ll never know. It’s not going to count.” The “young guys” think differently about Johnson after his LIV Golf switch, Simpson confessed.

The PGA Tour’s pro comment stands out, as Rory McIlroy and others seem to soften their stance towards the breakaway league. Interestingly, Brandel Chamblee, too, said that it’s in the best interest of the game that the PGA Tour and LIV Golf come together. In case that made you think the veteran also went soft on the breakaway league, he hasn’t. Not a chance.

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How Did Phil Mickelson Lose Weight? All About His Journey From Looking ‘Pregnant’ to Being the Most Envied 53YO Pro Golfer

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phil mickelson

Phil Mickelson has burned a few bridges. Some he might have a little regret about, and some he is extremely proud of. The biggest bridge that he burned, and indeed one he can boast about, is the one with his older self. The Mickelson of the early 2000s and the 51-year-old golfer who is playing at LIV Jeddah have one huge difference. The latter is fit, healthier, and stronger. But it was not always so.

Mickelson was at the receiving end of persistent ‘fat-shaming’ since his poor eating habits started reflecting on his body. The media was ruthless when he welcomed his daughter Amanda in 1999. A journalist quipped, “Was it Phil or Amy who was pregnant?” Two decades later, the table has turned. Lefty is perhaps the fittest 40+ golfer, making everyone wonder what’s the secret to his weight loss journey.

The secret to Phil Mickelson’s weight loss is intermittent fasting. It’s a dieting regimen, except that there is little to no ‘diet’ at all. Instead of fasting for a day, during intermittent fasting, you fast for a stretch of five to six days, feeding only a liquid diet to your body.

According to an article in Forbes, your body starts digging into the stored energy reserve to supplement the deficiency. In short, it’s a process of burning fat by fasting. It has found some backing in the athletics world. Most notably, MMA legend George St. Pierre has revealed that he intermittently fasts three to five times a year, drinking only water.

phil mickelson

In 2019, the six-time Major winner announced on Instagram that he had completed a six-day cycle of intermittent fasting, drinking only water and a special blend of his own coffee. Mickelson claimed to have lost 15 pounds and felt way more healthy and fresh.

He appeared a further 25 pounds slimmer at this year’s Masters, courtesy of another cycle of intermittent fasting. But progress is not a straight line. The veteran golfer suffered setbacks before finding the perfect balance.

A calorie-restricting diet is often a double-edged sword. It helps you lose fat, but along with that, you also lose muscle mass. The veteran golfer admitted that although he got back in shape, his form was impacted.

To his credit, he picked up the signs quite early on. After noticing the impediment to his performance, the golfer started following an aggressive speed-training regimen. To get back the power behind his swings, he started lifting weights.

Phil Mickelson turned a few heads when he became the oldest major champion, lifting the trophy at the age of 51. The PGA Championship victory in 2021 was in large part due to his refocus on health and fitness. And now perhaps more majors lie in the way of the fit senior golfer!

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Phil Mickelson says Tiger Woods joining PGA Tour policy board is ‘awesome news’ despite LIV Golf ties

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Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods

Phil Mickelson was one of the first high-profile PGA Tour golfers to jump ship to join LIV Golf, having expressed frustration at a lack of player influence on the former; Tiger Woods’ appointment to the board comes amid discontent from members over proposed closer links between LIV and PGA

Phil Mickelson says Tiger Woods joining the PGA Tour Policy Board as a player director is “awesome news”.

Mickelson was one of the first high-profile PGA Tour golfers to jump ship to join LIV Golf, having expressed frustration at a lack of player influence on the former.

“This is great to see,” Mickelson tweeted on Tuesday. “Players having equal representation on the board, Tiger getting more involved, and accountability across the board. Awesome news.”

Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods

As a player director, Woods has the authority to approve or decline any potential changes to the Tour.

His appointment to the board comes in the wake of a wave of disappointment from multiple members of the Tour who are upset with PGA commissioner Jay Monahan and the proposed closer links with LIV.

“I am honoured to represent the players of the PGA Tour,” Woods said in a press release from the PGA Tour.

“This is a critical point for the Tour, and the players will do their best to make certain that any changes that are made in Tour operations are in the best interest of all TOUR stakeholders, including fans, sponsors and players.

“The players thank Commissioner Monahan for agreeing to address our concerns, and we look forward to being at the table with him to make the right decisions for the future of the game that we all love.”

Mickelson, 53, joined LIV in June 2022. He was a 45-time winner on the PGA Tour, including six major championships.

Mickelson has yet to win on the LIV circuit. In his most recent event, Mickelson finished tied for 40th at LIV Golf Invitational London at the Centurion Club. He is currently readying for LIV Golf Greenbrier, which begins Friday in West Virginia.

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Phil Mickelson praises the PGA Tour’s decision to bring Tiger Woods onto the Policy Board… a move seen as a ‘critical moment’ for the golf circuit

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 Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson
  • Mickelson offered some rare praise for his old tour and his former rival 
  • Woods was promoted to be the sixth member of the tour’s policy board Tuesday 

The PGA Tour’s most outspoken defector is praising his former employer for putting the sport’s biggest name in a position of power.

Phil Mickelson tweeted out his approval of Tiger Woods being named to the PGA Tour’s Policy Board on Tuesday in response to demands from a number of players.

‘This is great to see,’ Mickelson posted. ‘Players having equal representation on the board, Tiger getting more involved, and accountability across the board. Awesome news.’

Mickelson’s praise for a longtime rival of his is somewhat surprising, especially considering the two stand on vastly opposite sides of the LIV-PGA issue.

While Tiger has remained with the PGA Tour and has often vocally defended it, Mickelson left for LIV and has been playing on the tour for over a year.

The announcement yesterday of Tiger’s new appointment came after a number of players expressed their disappointment at the proposed LIV-PGA merger in a letter addressed to PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan.

The letter, the New York Times said, ‘amounted to a dramatic effort to reclaim power over a circuit that got its modern start after a player rebellion in the late 1960s.’

The addition of Woods is the latest in a number of concessions the PGA Tour players have gotten from Monahan.

‘I am honored to represent the players of the PGA TOUR. This is a critical point for the TOUR, and the players will do their best to make certain that any changes that are made in TOUR operations are in the best interest of all TOUR stakeholders, including fans, sponsors and players,’ Woods said.

 Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson

‘The players thank Commissioner [Jay] Monahan for agreeing to address our concerns, and we look forward to being at the table with him to make the right decisions for the future of the game that we all love.

‘He has my confidence moving forward with these changes.’

‘Tiger’s voice and leadership throughout his career have contributed immeasurably to the success of the PGA TOUR, and to apply both to our governance and go-forward plan at this crucial time is even more welcomed and impactful,’ said Monahan.

‘I am committed to taking the necessary steps to restore any lost trust or confidence that occurred as a result of the surprise announcement of our Framework Agreement.

‘My job in the negotiations – in partnership with our Player Directors, PAC and the broader membership – is to advocate for what is best for the PGA TOUR members today and in the future.

‘Any agreement we reach must be shaped by our members’ input and approval earned through our Player Directors.’

As the sixth player director, Woods joins golfers like Webb Simpson and Patrick Cantlay on the board.

Players who wrote to Monahan said that the secret deal with the Saudi Public Investment Fund betrayed the idea that the tour should be run by and for the benefit of the players.

Many of the tour’s top athletes were given little notice of the deal prior to the announcement, with their reactions in real time widely expressing displeasure.

It appears that displeasure has not waned in the months since the deal was announced.

‘We still don’t really have a lot of clarity as to what’s going on, and that’s a bit worrisome,’ Scottie Scheffler said last month.

‘They keep saying it’s a player-run organization, and we don’t really have the information that we need.’

The New York Times reports that in recent weeks, players have been speaking privately about changes they want to see from the tour.

Woods has not played a tournament this season since he withdrew in the middle of the third round of The Masters.

Phil Mickelson praises the PGA Tour’s decision to bring Tiger Woods onto the Policy Board… a move seen as a ‘critical moment’ for the golf circuit

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