Phil Mickelson takes a hilarious jibe at John Daly's son's first-ever collegiate win

Modified Apr 02, 2025 02:04 GMT

PGA: The Open Championship - Third Round - Source: Imagn — Phil Mickelson, The Open Championship (Image via Imagn)

Phil Mickelson took a lighthearted jab at John Daly's son, John Daly II. The Arkansas Razorback's star captured the first collegiate win of his career at the Columbia Spring Invitational at the Rolling Green Golf Club in Pennsylvania.

The LIV Golf star tweeted to congratulate the amateur golfer while sneaking in a cheeky remark. Reposting a photo of John Daly II by the PGA Tour Champions, Phil Mickelson wrote:

"That’s awesome. Great playing and congratulations on your first win! (It sure wasn’t happening against Grant and me :)"

Phil Mickelson referred to a round of golf he had played with YouTube sensation Grant Hovart, John Daly II, and his father. The group competed in a 2v2 match over 18 holes in Florida, where Hovart and Mickelson emerged victorious.

Phil Mickelson's humorous dig at John Daly II showcases his witty nature. Here's a look at the six-time Major championship winner's post:

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As John Daly II embarks on his collegiate career, he is sure to thrive in the competitive environment, guided by his father and golfing legends like Phil Mickelson.

Did Phil Mickelson play collegiate golf?

Phil Mickelson played Division 1 collegiate golf for the Arizona State Sun Devils for four years. Not only did the NCAA circuit set up the now 54-year-old to become a six-time Major championship winner, but his time in Arizona also saw him set several records.

With Mickelson's collegiate career spanning from 1989 to 1992, he was named an All-American recipient every year. The LIV Golf star is one of the four golfers to be honored with first-team All-American titles for all four years in college.

Phil Mickelson earned first-team All-Pac-10 honors each year and was named Pac-10's Players of the Year in 1990, 1991, and 1992. The former PGA Tour sensation is one of seven amateur golfers to win consecutive championship titles. He led Arizona State to championship victories in his freshman and sophomore years.

The three-time Masters Tournament winner set three records at Arizona State. He tied the NCAA record for the lowest 72-hole score of 271 and 54-hole total of 19 under par 197, both of which have since been broken.

However, Phil Mickelson continues to bear the 36-hole scoring record he set in 1992. He carded in an impressive 16 under par 128 score. Having won 16 out of 51 tournaments, Mickelson is still the only player in Arizona State's history to have gathered that many titles.

He won his first collegiate title at the Fresno State Classic in his freshman year. Mickelson carded in rounds of 70, 69, and 69 to total 208 and capture the victory. The HyFlyers GC captain's last collegiate victory was at the NCAA Championships in 1992, which was also his last appearance for the Sun Devils.

About the author

Lathika is one of the newer additions to Sportskeeda’s budding golf journalism team and has brought plenty of in-game experience to the role. Having been a golfer for over 12 years now, some of her crowning achievements include winning titles on the Indian Golf Union Ladies tour and Junior Girls Amateur tour.

She currently competes in Division 1 golf in New York, and hopes to play in the U.S. Open and Chevron Championship one day. She is set to cover the 2025 Ryder Cup as well. She is currently pursuing a degree in Business Administration and Management, and holds a Sports Marketing certification from Northwestern University, which helped her learn to draft press releases and ultimately transition into journalism.

Lathika has thus developed a knowledge base that allows her to view golf from both player, spectator and media lenses, enabling her to bring statistics, insights and an understanding of fan emotion together in her copies. She only uses verified information from reliable sources like the PGA TOUR.

Her favorite golfers are Nelly Korda and Tiger Woods, both for their playing style as well as their mental strength. Much of her time away from work is spent playing golf, but she also enjoys spending time with her family and friends, and learning new hobbies or upskilling.

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Edited by Samya Majumdar