The pandemonium closed in around Phil Mickelson as he walked toward the 18th green at Kiawah Island, where thousands upon thousands of euphoric fans wanted a piece of the history he delivered on Sunday in the PGA Championship.
For all the thrills and spills that have defined his 30 years of pure theatre, his latest act gave Mickelson his own place in the game. A Major champion at age 50, the oldest in the 161 years of Major championship golf.
“Slightly unnerving,” Mickelson said, “but exceptionally awesome.” Just like his game.
Mickelson never thought he was too old to win again, much less a Major.
He closed the final day with a 1-over 73. He finished at 6-under 282 to win by two over Brooks Koepka and Louis Oosthuizen.
“One of the moments I’ll cherish my entire life,” Mickelson said. “I don’t know how to describe the feeling of excitement and fulfilment and accomplishment to do something of this magnitude when very few people thought that I could.”
That list didn’t include Mickelson. Never mind that he had not won in more than two years, had not registered a top 20 in nearly nine months and last won a Major in 2013 at the British Open. Never mind that he was No. 115 in the world.
“This is just an incredible feeling because I believed it was possible, but everything was saying it wasn’t,” Mickelson said.
Julius Boros for 53 years held the distinction of golf’s oldest Major champion. He was 48 when he won the 1968 PGA Championship in San Antonio.
Tiger Woods, who won the Masters in 2019 at age 43 after four back surgeries, was among the first to congratulate Mickelson. “Truly inspirational to see @PhilMickelson do it again at 50 years of age. Congrats!!!!!!!,” Woods tweeted.
Truly inspirational to see @PhilMickelson do it again at 50 years of age. Congrats!!!!!!!
— Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) May 23, 2021
Mickelson became the first player in PGA Tour history to win tournaments 30 years apart. The first of his 45 titles was in 1991 when he was still a junior at Arizona State.
The next stop is the US Open at Torrey Pines, the only Major keeping Mickelson from the career Grand Slam. “It’s very possible that this is the last tournament I ever win, like if I’m being realistic,” Mickelson said.
