Phil Mickelson endorses fellow 'lefty' Miles Russell after his Sage Valley Junior Invitational win

Miles Russell won the 2025 Junior Invitational, and Phil Mickelson has expressed confidence in the rising star’s career. Russell won the tournament with nine-under, two strokes ahead of Jackson Byrd.

Phil Mickelson is a 45-time PGA Tour event winner who turned pro in 1992 and has won three of the four Major Championships. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2012 and currently plays in the Saudi-backed league, LIV Golf.

Mickelson is famous for his left-handed swing, which earned him the nickname, ‘lefty.’ He took to X to endorse Russell, who is also left-handed, for winning the amateur golf tournament.

“It’s going to be fun watching this young lefty’s career!” Mickelson said.

Miles Russell competed against amateur golf stars such as Luke Colton, Joshua Bai and Tyler Watts in the 2025 Junior Invitational. He also competed against 82-time PGA Tour event winner Tiger Woods’ son Charlie Woods, who finished at T25 with 11-over.

Back when he was a youngster, Russell’s fellow ‘lefty’ Phil Mickelson also competed in a couple of amateur golf tournaments and won. Mickelson lifted the trophy in the 1980 Junior World Golf Championship and the NCAA Division I Championship in 1989 and 1992. He also won the 1991 Western Amateur competition and the U.S. Amateur tournament in 1990.

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“My style of golf now is not as reckless”: Phil Mickelson

Before heading to Singapore, Phil Mickelson competed in LIV Golf Hong Kong where he finished in third position in the solo standings. After the tournament, he gave some insight into his game, saying that the past few years have been frustrating for him, and his golf style is no longer as reckless.

“Last few years have been so frustrating not being in contention and I look at this year and say look if I can’t get myself in position to win and contend, what am I doing? It’s time… I’m not going to be able to overpower a golf course relative to the field because my style of golf now is not as reckless,” Mickelson said (via LIV Golf).

“Great example in Hong Kong was the final round of 10. I had the driver out, I could easily reach the green, but there was no place to miss it… Hong Kong was just a glimpse of what’s coming, I believe it was a great start. It was fun, exciting, but felt so good,” the 45-time PGA Tour event winner said. [00:29]

Phil Mickelson was bested by Sergio Garcia and Dean Burmester for the LIV Golf Hong Kong title. Garcia won the tournament with 18-under while Burmester won with 15-under, one stroke ahead of Mickelson.

The 54-year-old American golfer is gearing up to tee off in the upcoming 2025 Masters Tournament. He has won the Masters three times in the past– in 2004, 2006 and 2010.