"I just seem more focused" - When Phil Mickelson credited Tiger Woods for pushing his limits

Phil Mickelson won the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in 2012 after registering a two-stroke win over Charlie Wi. He was paired for the final round with Tiger Woods. However, Woods struggled with his game while Mickelson went on to play a round of 64 in the finale, winning the tournament.

During the press conference of the tournament in 2012, Phil Mickelson opened up about being paired with Tiger Woods. He acknowledged feeling inspired after playing with Woods and talked about how Woods brought out the best in him.

Speaking of playing with Tiger Woods, Mickelson said (via ASAP Sports):

"I just feel very inspired when I play with him. I love playing with him, and he brings out some of my best golf. I hope that he continues to play better and better, and I hope that he and I have a chance to play together more in final rounds."

Mickelson further reflected on how playing with Woods affected his game, saying:

"I just seem more focused. I just know that I can't‑‑ I know that his level of play is so much greater when he's playing his best than anybody else's, that it just forces me to focus on my game more intently, and hit more precise shots."

Notably, that time, it was the fourth time Phil Mickelson won the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. He previously won the tournament in 1998 by registering a one-stroke win over Tom Pernice Jr., then in 2005, he won by four strokes over Mike Weir.

He recorded another win at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in 2007 by registering a five-shot win over Kevin Sutherland. Intriguingly, Mickelson has won the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am five times in his career, with the final coming in 2019.

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When Tiger Woods opened up about playing with Phil Mickelson

During the press conference of the 2012 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, Tiger Woods also reflected on playing with Phil Mickelson. He was asked if pairing with Mickelson affected his game in the final round of the PGA Tour event. Replying to the reporter, Woods said (via ASAP Sports):

"No, not at all. I still had to go up and post my numbers and I thought I had to shoot 67 or 66 today was kind of the number going out there. That wouldn't have been in enough, so it was a fun day to be out there, but also in the end it was very frustrating at the same time."

Notably, at the 2012 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, Tiger Woods started his campaign with a round of 68. He played the first two rounds of 68 and then played a round of 67 on the third day.

However, he struggled on the final day, playing a round of 75 and settling for a tie for the 15th place at the tournament. Meanwhile, Phil Mickelson played the four rounds of 70, 65, 70, and 64 to settle for an overall score of 17-under, winning the tournament by two shots over Charlie Wi.