Phil Mickelson defies expectations with best final round at 30th Masters appearance

AUGUSTA – When Phil Mickelson was introduced on the first tee last Thursday to begin his 30th appearance at the Masters, he was greeted by muted, faint applause.

All the members of the renegade, Saudi-backed LIV Golf circuit in the field were being treated roughly the same during the opening round. Not shunned, just not welcomed.

Fast-forward three days to the 18th green late on Sunday in the final round, where he sank a twisting, downhill putt for birdie and twice pumped his left fist as he went to retrieve the ball.

He was barking something to himself, but it was inaudible because the thousands of fans enveloping the green were on their feet roaring their approval. Soon, the gallery was chanting, “Phil!”

Mickelson, who finished tied for second, at eight under, waved to the crowd and smiled broadly, perhaps understanding better than anyone how much had changed in four days.

The palpable undercurrent to the Masters was the

first head-to-head match between the LIV rebels and the pros aligned with the entrenched PGA Tour

at the venerable Augusta National Golf Club.

Mickelson has been the headliner of the defectors, and he took the brunt of the heat for turning his back on the established golf world in 2022 – so much so that he voluntarily withdrew from the Masters in the same year.

And now, after his best-ever final round at the tournament, the three-time champion was being feted as if nothing had changed, with delirious cheers.

As Jordan Spieth, Mickelson’s playing partner on Sunday, said afterwards: “It felt very much like eight, nine or 10 years ago.”

That is the most meaningful takeaway of this Masters. A LIV player may not have won during the four days at Augusta National but they did not lose, as many expected. The reception Mickelson received proved that many golf fans are not drawing lines in the sand over this golf feud.

LIV-affiliated golfers took three spots in the top 10, including Brooks Koepka matching Mickelson. Twelve of the 18 entrants made the cut.

For a week at least, the conversation about LIV’s relevance was altered, led by Mickelson.

There will now be fewer assertions that LIV’s 54-hole events are merely exhibitions that do not prepare players for Majors. Mickelson, 52, certainly showed plenty of stamina and panache for the final round.

“I think it’s tremendous for this tournament to have all the best players in the world here,” he said with a grin.

“It means a lot.”

Mickelson is correct. For now at least, his performance and that of his brethren within LIV made a statement at the Masters. For one, the civil war on the fairways and greens that was envisioned did not materialise. The golfers from both tours got along.

In the end, what the four days at the Masters proved is that the LIV circuit is not going anywhere. The cheers were real for Mickelson, and understandable.

But maybe, in some subconscious way, those ovations signalled what golf fans are missing – the whole gang back together again. NYTIMES