Phil Mickelson is eyeing a return to The Masters later this year after impressing at the latest LIV Golf event.
The six-time major champion was competing in Hong Kong and secured his best-ever LIV Golf finish.
The American ended up with an excellent score of 14 under par to finish third – his best by a long way since joining the Saudi-backed LIV Golf.
He is yet to win a LIV Golf event, but it’s clear the 54-year-old is starting to get back to his best.
When LIV Golf emerged, Mickelson was one of the major names who backed it and left the PGA Tour to join.
However, his on-field performances haven’t been good, but with The Masters approaching, Mickelson feels he’s playing very well.
Speaking after the final round of the Hong Kong LIV Golf event, he said: “So I really had a great off-season, and I figured some things out, and I’m playing a different style of golf.
“I’ve been playing really well at home, and it’s great to take it here. I didn’t putt well at Adelaide, otherwise I would have contended there, as well.
“I played really good golf, and I had about four or five putts — today even — that could have gone lower and been an ultra low round to make a run.”
So, there is no intention for Mickelson to just let his career drift away into retirement.
He still has a couple of big aims.
“The fact is I’m hitting a lot of good shots. I’m playing some good golf, and this is a building week as I continue to build into LIV and my goal of accomplishing a win in LIV as well as winning another major, getting ready for Augusta.”
The drive and ambition remain there for Mickelson to win another major, and The Masters has been very kind to him.
He claimed the green jacket three times in 2004, 2006 and 2010, and he finished as the runner-up in 2023.
Should he win at Augusta then he would comfortably be the oldest champion.
That record is currently held by Jack Nicklaus, who was 46 when he won in 1986.
There are times when this future Hall of Famer has made this sport look remarkably simple, but as time has gone on, that ability to do that has faded.
However, Mickelson is feeling much more like his former self.
“It didn’t feel hard. It felt easy. I probably led the field in fairways hit. I haven’t seen the stats, but I’d be surprised if anybody hit more than I did.
“My game is getting sharp. My short game is back. I had a rough couple of years.
“My short game is really sharp now. My iron play is back, and my game is starting to really come around, and I’m also playing differently. I’m playing a lot less stressed, and it’s coming.”
The Masters at Augusta is just under a month away from getting started, and all of golf’s best will be there.
Scottie Scheffler will look to defend his title and will start as the favourite, but you can’t rule out Mickelson.
