Phil Mickelson Admits His Career Is on the Back 9

When Phil Mickelson turned pro in 1992, Tom Brady hadn’t even played a down of high school football. Much has changed since then, including Mickelson, who has gone from a PGA Tour fan favorite (“Let’s go, Phil!”) with thousands of on-course followers to a LIV Golf pariah who now has difficulty attracting a traveling gallery at August National during the Masters, a tournament he’s won three times.

Once the second-ranked golfer in the world, Mickelson finished tied for 47th place at the Masters last month and is now the 157th-best golfer on the planet, according to the Official World Golf Ranking. Currently in Singapore to play an LIV event, the 53-year-old golfer is apparently fully aware that ’92 was a long time ago — he admitted on a new episode of Bloomberg TV’s Latitude with Haslinda Amin that the end of his career is far closer than the beginning, even though he can still swing it.

“I’m 53 now,” Mickelson said, “and my career, you know, it’s — if I’m being truthful, it’s on — it’s — it’s — I’m a — it’s towards its end.”

While the six-time major winner — who would certainly have won more had he not been playing during the same time period as Tiger Woods — didn’t say when he would retire, he did indicate he’d like to help younger golfers find their place before he does.

“There’s moments where you’re out on a golf course alone and you have this solace, it’s very solitude, and you’re at peace,” he told Bloomberg. “Or when you’re with your family and friends where you’re laughing and having a good time. Or when you’re competing in the club championship or the junior event, like you’re feeling that competition. Or when you’re playing golf at the highest level and competing against the best players in the world. Like all of that creates such fulfillment, whether you’re practicing on your own or with friends. There’s so many great things about this game of golf and I would love others to experience those things.”