Phil Mickelson biography covering his age, wife Amy, children, six major championships, PGA Tour career, historic PGA Championship victory, move to LIV Golf, gambling addiction, 2026 absence from golf and net worth.
The Phil Mickelson biography spans more than three decades at the highest levels of professional golf. Nicknamed “Lefty,” the American golfer has won six major championships and 45 PGA Tour events, becoming one of the most accomplished players of his generation. His 2021 PGA Championship victory was particularly historic because he became the oldest man to win a major championship.
Mickelson’s later career has been more complicated. His decision to join LIV Golf in 2022 made him one of the central figures in professional golf’s biggest modern dispute. In 2026, his career became uncertain again when he played only one LIV Golf event before taking an extended break for personal and family reasons. In September, his representative confirmed that Mickelson had completed treatment related to family trauma and addiction.
Phil Mickelson Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Philip Alfred Mickelson |
| Known As | Phil Mickelson, Lefty |
| Date of Birth | June 16, 1970 |
| Age | 56 years old as of 2026 |
| Birthplace | San Diego, California, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Professional golfer |
| College | Arizona State University |
| Turned Professional | 1992 |
| Wife | Amy Mickelson |
| Children | Amanda, Sophia and Evan |
| PGA Tour Wins | 45 |
| Major Championships | 6 |
| LIV Golf Team | HyFlyers GC |
| Masters Wins | 3 |
| PGA Championship Wins | 2 |
| Open Championship Wins | 1 |
Early Life and Why Phil Mickelson Plays Left-Handed
Philip Alfred Mickelson was born on June 16, 1970, in San Diego, California.
His father, Phil Mickelson Sr., was a pilot who introduced his son to golf at an extremely young age. Mickelson reportedly began hitting golf balls when he was about 18 months old.
One unusual detail eventually became part of his identity.
Mickelson is naturally right-handed in most activities, but he plays golf left-handed. As a young child, he stood opposite his right-handed father and copied his swing as though looking into a mirror.
The habit remained.
It also produced the nickname Lefty, which followed him throughout his professional career.
Mickelson developed into an exceptional junior golfer in Southern California before attending Arizona State University on a golf scholarship.
Arizona State and Amateur Success
Mickelson became one of the most successful college golfers of his era while playing for Arizona State.
He won three individual NCAA championships and earned First-Team All-American honours four times.
In 1990, he won the U.S. Amateur Championship.
His amateur career became even more remarkable in January 1991 when he won the Northern Telecom Open, now known as the WM Phoenix Open, while still attending college.
PGA Tour victories by amateurs are extremely rare.
Mickelson’s performance made him one of the few amateur golfers in the modern era to defeat a professional PGA Tour field.
By the time he completed college, there was little doubt that professional golf would be his career.
He turned professional in 1992.
Building a PGA Tour Career
Mickelson quickly became one of the PGA Tour’s leading players.
His aggressive style distinguished him from many of his contemporaries. Rather than always choosing the safest option, he became famous for attempting difficult recovery shots, attacking pins and using an exceptional short game to escape trouble.
The approach occasionally cost him tournaments, but it also produced some of the most memorable shots of his generation.
Mickelson accumulated victories throughout the 1990s and early 2000s.
Yet one achievement repeatedly escaped him.
Despite winning numerous PGA Tour events, he entered his thirties without a major championship.
The absence became a major part of the public discussion surrounding his career.
That changed at Augusta National in 2004.
First Masters Victory
Mickelson won his first major championship at the 2004 Masters Tournament.
The victory ended years of questions about whether he would ever convert his talent and regular-tour success into a major title.
He birdied the 18th hole to defeat Ernie Els by one stroke.
The image of Mickelson jumping into the air after the winning putt became one of the defining photographs of his career.
He did not have to wait long for another major.
Mickelson won the PGA Championship in 2005 and then returned to Augusta to win another Masters title in 2006.
Within three seasons, he had transformed his major-championship record.
Six Major Championships
Mickelson ultimately accumulated six major championships.
He won the Masters in 2004, 2006 and 2010.
His 2010 victory included one of his most famous shots. During the final round, Mickelson hit a daring approach from the pine straw on the 13th hole, threading the ball between trees and onto the green.
He also won the PGA Championship in 2005.
In 2013, Mickelson captured The Open Championship at Muirfield in Scotland. The victory was especially meaningful because links golf had not traditionally been considered the strongest part of his game.
His sixth major arrived eight years later and became perhaps the most historically significant victory of his career.
Historic 2021 PGA Championship Victory
Mickelson entered the 2021 PGA Championship at Kiawah Island as a 50-year-old whose best competitive years appeared to be behind him.
Instead, he defeated a field containing many of the world’s leading younger golfers.
Mickelson won by two strokes and became the oldest major champion in men’s golf history at 50 years, 11 months and seven days.
The final round produced extraordinary scenes as thousands of spectators surrounded Mickelson and Brooks Koepka while they approached the 18th green.
The victory gave Mickelson his second PGA Championship and sixth major title.
It also extended his PGA Tour victory total to 45.
The Major That Eluded Him
Despite his six major championships, Mickelson never completed the career Grand Slam.
The missing championship was the U.S. Open.
Few golfers have experienced as many near misses in one major.
Mickelson finished runner-up in the U.S. Open six times, a tournament record.
His most painful defeat arguably came at Winged Foot in 2006. Mickelson entered the final hole with a one-shot lead but made a double bogey after an errant drive and ultimately lost to Geoff Ogilvy.
The U.S. Open therefore became both an important achievement and frustration in his career: he repeatedly came close without winning the championship he needed to complete all four majors.
Ryder Cup and Team Golf
Mickelson also had a lengthy history representing the United States.
He played in 12 Ryder Cups between 1995 and 2018, setting a record for appearances at the time.
He also represented the United States repeatedly in the Presidents Cup.
Mickelson’s Ryder Cup career included both victories and disappointments, but his longevity made him one of the most familiar American players in international team competition.
His relationship with traditional PGA Tour golf changed dramatically after he became involved with LIV Golf.
Phil Mickelson and LIV Golf
Mickelson became one of the most important early recruits to LIV Golf, the breakaway circuit financed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.
His involvement became controversial before he had even played an event.
Comments attributed to Mickelson about Saudi Arabia and his desire to use LIV as leverage to change professional golf generated widespread criticism in early 2022.
He subsequently stepped away from competitive golf for several months.
Mickelson returned in June 2022 to join LIV Golf.
Reports have estimated that his guaranteed agreement with the league was worth about $200 million, although the precise contractual terms have not been publicly disclosed.
His move contributed to an unprecedented division within professional golf.
Mickelson became captain of HyFlyers GC and one of LIV’s most recognisable representatives.
His results on the circuit, however, rarely matched the level he had reached during his PGA Tour prime.
Gambling Addiction
Mickelson has publicly acknowledged struggling with gambling addiction.
The subject had followed him for years because of reports concerning the scale of his betting.
In 2023, Mickelson addressed the issue directly, saying gambling had crossed from entertainment into addiction and had harmed his relationships.
He emphasised that financial ruin was not the central problem. Instead, he described becoming emotionally absent and hurting people close to him, particularly his family.
Mickelson credited Amy with helping him through some of his most difficult periods.
His gambling history is important to his biography because Mickelson himself has publicly characterised it as an addiction rather than merely a hobby or reputation created by media coverage.
Phil Mickelson Wife
Phil Mickelson is married to Amy McBride Mickelson.
The couple met while attending Arizona State University. Amy was a cheerleader for the NBA’s Phoenix Suns and initially knew little about professional golf.
They married in November 1996.
Their marriage later became closely associated with one of the most difficult periods in Mickelson’s personal life.
In 2009, Amy was diagnosed with breast cancer.
Mickelson temporarily stepped away from competitive golf to support her during treatment.
Amy’s health eventually improved, and she continued appearing with her husband at major tournaments.
The couple has now been married for nearly 30 years.
Phil Mickelson Children
Phil and Amy Mickelson have three children.
Their eldest daughter, Amanda Brynn Mickelson, was born in June 1999.
Mickelson was competing in the U.S. Open at Pinehurst shortly before her birth. He carried a pager during the tournament and had said he would leave immediately if Amy went into labour.
Their second daughter, Sophia Isabel, was born in October 2001.
Their son, Evan Samuel, followed in March 2003.
Mickelson has frequently discussed his family when explaining decisions to step away from golf or reassess his priorities.
Phil Mickelson’s 2026 Absence From Golf
The 2026 season became one of the most unusual periods of Mickelson’s career.
He missed the opening LIV Golf tournaments because he and Amy were dealing with a private family health matter.
Mickelson eventually returned for LIV Golf South Africa in March.
He finished tied for 48th.
It became his only competitive tournament appearance of the 2026 season through September.
Mickelson subsequently withdrew from events and announced an extended absence from competitive golf while his family dealt with personal health matters.
He missed the Masters, PGA Championship and The Open.
By the end of September, his representative confirmed that Mickelson had voluntarily spent time in a treatment facility addressing family trauma and addiction and had since left the facility.
No return date to professional golf had been announced as of October 1, 2026.
His future as an active LIV Golf player therefore remained uncertain.
Phil Mickelson Net Worth and Career Earnings
Phil Mickelson’s exact current net worth is not publicly verified.
His documented golf earnings nevertheless place him among the wealthiest players in the history of the sport.
Mickelson earned approximately $96.7 million in official PGA Tour prize money during his career.
That figure does not include sponsorship agreements, appearance fees, private investments, business income or his LIV Golf compensation.
His reported LIV agreement has frequently been estimated at around $200 million.
Mickelson also had major endorsement relationships during his career with companies in financial services, equipment, apparel and other industries.
However, gross earnings should not be confused with net worth.
Taxes, management costs, investments, property, business expenses and other financial obligations affect how much wealth a person ultimately retains.
Mickelson’s acknowledged history of high-stakes gambling also makes simplistic calculations based solely on career earnings particularly unreliable.
It is reasonable to describe him as a multimillionaire golfer who has generated hundreds of millions of dollars in career income, but a precise present-day net-worth figure cannot be responsibly established from public information.
Conclusion
The Phil Mickelson biography contains some of professional golf’s greatest achievements alongside unusually complicated later chapters.
He won 45 PGA Tour events, captured six major championships and became the oldest men’s major winner in history when he won the PGA Championship at 50.
His fearless style, exceptional short game and willingness to attempt improbable shots made him one of golf’s most recognisable players.
His move to LIV Golf changed how the later part of his career was viewed, while his public discussions of gambling addiction added a more personal dimension to his story.
By October 2026, Mickelson’s competitive future was uncertain. After playing only once during the season, he remained away from professional golf following family difficulties and treatment related to trauma and addiction.
Whatever happens next, his six major titles and more than three decades at the highest level have already secured his place as one of the defining golfers of his era.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Phil Mickelson?
Phil Mickelson is an American professional golfer known as “Lefty.” He has won six major championships and 45 PGA Tour events and later became one of the most prominent players to join LIV Golf.
How old is Phil Mickelson?
Phil Mickelson was born on June 16, 1970. He is 56 years old as of October 2026.
Who is Phil Mickelson’s wife?
Phil Mickelson is married to Amy Mickelson, formerly Amy McBride. They met at Arizona State University and married in 1996.
How many children does Phil Mickelson have?
Phil and Amy Mickelson have three children: daughters Amanda and Sophia and a son named Evan.
How many majors has Phil Mickelson won?
Phil Mickelson has won six men’s major championships: three Masters titles, two PGA Championships and one Open Championship.
Why is Phil Mickelson not playing golf in 2026?
Mickelson played only one LIV Golf tournament in 2026 before taking an extended absence while dealing with private family and personal matters. In September, his representative confirmed that he had completed treatment related to family trauma and addiction. No date for his return had been announced as of October 1, 2026.
What is Phil Mickelson’s net worth?
Phil Mickelson’s exact net worth is not publicly verified. He earned approximately $96.7 million in official PGA Tour prize money and reportedly received a very large guarantee to join LIV Golf, in addition to decades of endorsement and business income. However, there is insufficient reliable financial information to establish his precise current fortune.
