Phil Mickelson entered the 2021 PGA Championship at Kiawah Island, S.C., as the 115th-ranked golfer in the world, and he left with arguably the most impressive accomplishment of his career.
Mickelson held off Brooks Koepka and the rest of the field to win his second PGA Championship and sixth major. At age 50, he became the oldest golfer in history to win a major. He already entered Sunday as the oldest golfer to hold the 54-hole lead in a major.
The only major Mickelson hasn’t won is the U.S. Open, where he has finished as a runner-up six times. The PGA Championship win was his second, with his first coming all the way back in 2005. The 16-year gap between winning the same major is the longest in golf history.
Mickelson’s final round at Kiawah Island was a bit of a rollercoaster. He got off to a rough start before holing an incredible bunker shot for a birdie at the fifth hole (video here). But he maintained control and held a two-shot lead entering the 18th hole. He was able to tap in for a one-stroke victory, capping a huge win.
The real prize for Mickelson would be completing the career grand slam by finally winning the U.S. Open. But his win at the PGA Championship is nothing short of remarkable. This win makes his strong legacy even more impressive.
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