"Phil Mickelson knew he was in trouble" – When the 6x major champ's sister exposed his mischievous side

Phil Mickelson is one of the top golfers of his generation and has six major championships to his name. However, beyond the golf course, he has a playful and mischievous side.

One of the anecdotes from Mickelson's childhood was shared by Mickelson's sister Tina. She shared a story about Thanksgiving when the Mickelson family had planned a family dinner for about 20 guests. However, Mickelson couldn't be found as he sneaked away for a round of golf to Stardust Country Club by paying a neighbor for a ride. It wasn't until the youngster managed to play around a back nine that his parents arrived in a golf cart, knowing exactly where they would find him.

In an interview with ESPN in 2020, Tina Mickelson recalled:

"My parents were hosting Thanksgiving dinner and had told him he couldn't play golf. They made him get in the cart, and as they drove home, Phil knew he was in trouble. But he said, 'Good golfers are a dime a dozen. I'm good now. But if I don't practice today, there are other people who are practicing. They're getting better while I'm not.'"

"That was his mentality. My parents had a hard time disagreeing with that. It made them look at the situation in a different way," she added.

Tina shared that since then the family supported his golf dream and allowing him to follow his passion was the right choice. She shared that the game is a part of his personality.

"When he's not working at golf he chooses to play golf. It’s not simply about practicing. It's doing something that he enjoys. Absolutely the game is everything to him. And always has been. It's part of who he is," she added [via PGA Tour].

Phil Mickelson was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2012.

---

A look at Phil Mickelson's professional career records

Phil Mickelson during the opening round of the Northern Trust Golf Tournament - Source: Imagn

Phil Mickelson has a terrific record on the PGA Tour. He has played in 666 tournaments and has made the cut in 537 of them. He has 45 wins, 38 runner-up finishes, 138 top-5 finishes, and 198 top-10 finishes.

Mickelson's first win came at the Northern Telecom Open as an amateur where he won by one stroke over Tom Purtzer and Bob Tway. His last win came at the 2021 PGA Championship where he won by two strokes over Brooks Koepka and Louis Oosthuizen.

Let's take a look at Phil Mickelson's best performances in his professional career:

• 2021 PGA Championship: 1st (Major)
• 2013 The 142nd Open Championship: 1st (Major)
• 2010 Masters Tournament: 1st (Major)
• 2006 Masters Tournament: 1st (Major)
• 2005 87th PGA Championship: 1st (Major)
• 2004 The Masters Tournament: 1st (Major)
• 2007 The Players Championship: 1st (PGA Tour)
• 2009 WGC-CA Championship: 1st (WGC)
• 2007 Deutsche Bank Championship: 1st (PGA Tour)
• 2018 WGC-Mexico Championship: 1st (WGC)
• 2008 Northern Trust Open: 1st (PGA Tour)
• 1997 Bay Hill Invitational: 1st (PGA Tour)
• 2009 WGC-HSBC Champions: 1st (WGC)
• 2009 Northern Trust Open: 1st (PGA Tour)
• 2000 Tour Championship: 1st (PGA Tour)
• 2016 145th Open Championship: 2nd (Major)
• 2014 96th PGA Championship: 2nd (Major)
• 2005 FBR Open: 1st (PGA Tour)
• 2004 U.S. Open: 2nd (Major)
• 2002 U.S. Open: 2nd (Major)
• 2001 U.S. PGA Championship: 2nd (Major)
• 1999 U.S. Open Championship: 2nd (Major)
• 2001 Buick Invitational: 1st (PGA Tour)
• 2000 MasterCard Colonial: 1st (PGA Tour)
• 1998 Mercedes Championship: 1st (PGA Tour)