50 In June, Mickelson Not Planning For Champions Tour

Lefty says that whilst he's still hitting 'bombs', his priority is the PGA Tour

Mickelson Not Planning For Champions Tour
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Lefty says that whilst he's still hitting 'bombs', his priority is the PGA Tour

50 In June, Mickelson Not Planning For Champions Tour

Phil Mickelson embarks on the 28th year of his career and it's set to be a very important one.

The five-time Major winner turns 50 in June, on the Tuesday of US Open week, and will therefore be eligible to play on the senior circuit.

Lefty is yet to win the US Open so winning it at the age of 50 to complete the career grand slam as the oldest Major winner in history would be something very special.

After the US Open, he could potentially go and play on the PGA Tour Champions but it doesn't sound like he'll be doing that.

Not whilst he's hitting 'bombs' anyway.

“I haven't thought too much about it and I won't until I see how the first six months [on the PGA Tour] of this year go,” he said.

“It’s nice to have the option to move over to another tour, but it's also nice to have the challenge of competing out here.

“When I stop hitting bombs I'll play the Champions Tour, but I'm hitting some crazy bombs right now.

"No, I still have speed, there's no reason I couldn't play out here. I hit the ball every bit as far.”

Mickelson gained around 5-6mph swing speed last year in what was a complete body transformation.

He says his body is now as good as it was two decades ago.

Listen to Mickelson talking about the Champions Tour - "I'm hitting some crazy bombs right now"

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The 49-year-old is targeting a final Ryder Cup appearance later this year, which currently looks unlikely.

He missed out on the USA's Presidents Cup team in December, having made every USA Ryder Cup or Presidents Cup side since 1994.

Another thing he'd like to forget from 2019 was his truly incredible Official World Golf Ranking Top-50 streak ending after 26 years.

However, the Californian is arguably his generation's second-best player and he did still win on the PGA Tour last year at Pebble Beach.

That was after becoming the oldest World Golf Championship winner at the WGC-Mexico in March 2018.

Can he make the Ryder Cup team? Of course he can.

Will he make it? Only time will tell.

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Elliott Heath
News Editor

Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news team as well as our large Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. He covered the 2022 Masters from Augusta National as well as five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. His first Open was in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, when he walked inside the ropes with Jordan Spieth during the Texan's memorable Claret Jug triumph. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Western Gailes, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays off of a six handicap. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!


Elliott is currently playing:


Driver: Titleist TSR4

3 wood: Titleist TSi2

Hybrids: Titleist 816 H1

Irons: Mizuno MP5 5-PW

Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58

Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5

Ball: Srixon Z Star XV