Phil Mickelson is considering the end of his competitive golf career, acknowledging his age and performance limitations as he approaches his 55th birthday.
“I’m also going to be 55 in a couple weeks, so I want to be realistic there, too. I want this team to succeed. I don’t want to hold it back,” Mickelson said. “If I’m holding it back, then it’s time for me to move on and get somebody else in here.”
The six-time major champion hasn’t won since his stunning PGA Championship victory at Kiawah Island in 2021, where he became the oldest major winner in history at 50. Even in that moment of triumph, Mickelson showed remarkable self-awareness.
“It’s very possible that this is the last tournament I ever win. Like if I’m being realistic,” he said after that victory.
Now, Mickelson’s focus has shifted to his role on LIV’s HyFlyers team, where his performance has been inconsistent. He’s weighing his value to the team against his diminishing competitive edge—a difficult calculation for a player who’s spent decades at golf’s highest levels.
The U.S. Open remains the only major championship missing from Mickelson’s trophy case, despite a record six runner-up finishes. When asked if Oakmont might be his final appearance in the tournament, he was candid.
“There’s a high likelihood that it will be,” Mickelson said, “but I haven’t really thought about it too much.”
His path to future U.S. Opens is complicated. The USGA typically grants only one special exemption per player, which Mickelson received for the 2021 championship at Torrey Pines. Though he ultimately qualified automatically after his PGA Championship win, he’s missed the cut in his last three U.S. Open appearances.
Mickelson remains exempt for the other three majors as a past champion, but his U.S. Open opportunities are dwindling. It’s a bittersweet reality for a player whose near-misses in the national championship have become part of golf lore.
