Phil Mickelson eyes strong LIV Golf Miami finish heading into Masters 2025: "Great way to prepare"

Phil Mickelson is gearing up to play at the Masters next week. However, ahead of that, he is playing at the LIV Golf Miami event, which started with its first round on Friday, April 4.

In the post-round press conference of the opening round of the LIV Golf Miami, Phil Mickelson opened up about playing a week prior to the Masters and called it the "best way to get ready" for the next week's event. Moreover, he also reflected on the excitement of playing this week in Miami, which is also the first event of the LIV Golf 2025 on American soil.

"I think the best way to get ready for next week and to think about next week is to really play well here," Mickelson said (via ASAP Sports). "It's very much of a major championship-style feel test of golf, and staying -- really kind of appreciating that challenge and taking it head on is a great way to prepare for next week, but I'm really having fun this week, and it's fun for me to play well."

Being the former winner of the Masters, which he won three times in his career, Phil Mickelson has a lifetime exemption to play in the Major. He, along with 11 other LIV golfers, will be playing in the first Major of the year next week.

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Phil Mickelson reflects on his performance at LIV Golf Miami 2025

Mickelson started his campaign at the Miami event in the Saudi league with a solid round of 3-under on Friday. Ahead of the Masters, he has been phenomenal with his game this week and tied for second place after the first round of the event.

In the press conference, he reflected on his performance, saying (via ASAP Sports):

"It was a really fun, challenging test. This is a really hard golf course, and conditions were as difficult as I've seen them. I got off to a rough start, hitting a poor drive on 2 and making bogey, and then I played really well thereafter. Hit a lot of good drives, kept it in play, good lag putting, and really good solid round."

Phil Mickelson started his campaign at the LIV Golf Miami on the second hole, but it was a tough start as he carded a bogey on this par 4 hole. But the American was quick to bounce back and made three back-to-back birdies from the sixth to eighth holes and one more birdie on the first hole.

Meanwhile, Patrick Reed, 2018 Masters champion, took the lead at the LIV Golf Miami event at 5-under after the first round, followed by Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau, and Mickelson, all tied at 3-under for second place. Sebastian Munoz settled in a three-way tie for fifth place with Charl Schwartzel and Sergio Garcia at 2-under. The tournament will have its finale on Sunday, April 6.