Phil's legacy, what does the Open win do for this?

[MSchott]

Mickelson now has 5 major wins, elevating him above all recent multi-major winners except Tiger Woods. He's won 3 of the 4 Grand Slam events and has won 42 times on the PGA tour and 9 times on the European Tour. He's obviously not quite at the level of a Palmer, Player or Watson but how about vs others like Faldo, Trevino, Floyd and the like? At the end of his career, where will he stand?

[Slice of Life]

Top 10, I'd say. A no doubter top 10 if he can pull of a US Open win, too...

The way he's been playing, he might have a couple major wins left in him...which would take him to maybe top 5 even...

EDIT: After rethinking, I'd say top 15 now, MAYBE top 10 if he gets a couple more...

Forgot how many legends there are...

Jack, Tiger, Jones, Arnie, Hagen, Hogan, Player, Watson, Snead, Sarazen...

However, if he wins the US Open, he's be one of only 6 to win the grand slam.

[MEfree]

I think it definitely elevates his legacy in his own mind-  when interviewed, he said that he wasn't sure if he had the game for the Open and really had to develop as a player to get it done.  That should mean something to the fans and those evaluating legacies.

[zipazoid]

Tack on six second-place finishes, most all-time, in the US Open & you have, imo, a top-ten of all time player. His only true impediment has been having a career overlapthe Tiger Era. In most any other era he would have been the top player. I would categorize his career much like Trevino's - Lee won 7 majors & probably would have won a lot more had he not had his career overlap Jack's. But Jack will tell you that Lee was the guy he worried about the most.

I think this British Open win for Phil vaults him into the level of elite players of all time.

[TourSpoon]

Originally Posted by zipazoid

I think this British Open win for Phil vaults him into the level of elite players of all time.

I agree. He is now among the elite, certainly the best Lefty to ever play the game. Winning the third leg solidifies his spot among the greats of the game.

[RonTheSavage]

Not a Phil fan at all, but even I cant hate on what the guys has been able to accomplish. Im not a golf historian by any means but it would be hard for me to understand Phil being left out of anyone's top 15 maybe even top 10 all time.

[Lash]

His legacy is simple....he is the greatest left-handed golfer of all time.

[GaijinGolfer]

I dont think this win does anything for Phil's legacy.  He's going to be in the HOF eventually but I still dont see anyone daring to ask if Phil is the best of all-time.

[Lihu]

Originally Posted by Lash

His legacy is simple....he is the greatest left-handed golfer of all time.

).

Although, Bubba is still relatively young.

[newtogolf]

It's a cherry on top of his outstanding career as a professional golfer.  I find his achievements even more incredible given the health issues he's dealt with over the last part of his career.  He's been Tiger's biggest nemesis, though most of his career was spent in Tiger's shadow.  Phil wasn't far off from winning two majors this year so he's obviously still got a lot left in the tank.

This win by Phil will put even more focus on Tiger and pressure on him to win a Major.

[zipazoid]

Originally Posted by Lash

His legacy is simple....he is the greatest left-handed golfer of all time.

Steve Flesch should be offended.

[MSchott]

Originally Posted by GaijinGolfer

I dont think this win does anything for Phil's legacy.  He's going to be in the HOF eventually but I still dont see anyone daring to ask if Phil is the best of all-time.

Not what we are asking. He's already in the HOF. How do you feel he stacks up to some of the greatest of all time and where does he rank all time?

[TourSpoon]

Originally Posted by GaijinGolfer

I dont think this win does anything for Phil's legacy.  He's going to be in the HOF eventually but I still dont see anyone daring to ask if Phil is the best of all-time.

He was inducted in the Hall of Fame in 2012.

[phan52]

Originally Posted by MSchott

Mickelson now has 5 major wins, elevating him above all recent multi-major winners except Tiger Woods. He's won 3 of the 4 Grand Slam events and has won 42 times on the PGA tour and 9 times on the European Tour. He's obviously not quite at the level of a Palmer, Player or Watson but how about vs others like Faldo, Trevino, Floyd and the like? At the end of his career, where will he stand?

IMO, the three best players without question are Nicklaus, Woods and Hogan. After that, arguments can be made for a lot of players to fill out the top 10, guys like Nelson, Snead, Watson, Hagen, Palmer, Jones and Vardon. Phil is now in that mix, IMO, and he's not done. He could eclipse some great players in the next 5 years, especially if he can manage a US Open or 2...or 3.

[ChrisP]

I still think to be in that elite category of Nicklaus, Woods, Player and Hogan, he needs a U.S. Open, which I think makes Pinehurst next year so important for him. And I think he can win at Pinehurst with his game.....it's perfect for that course. The rough there won't be as high and it puts such a premium on your short game. I do think Phil has more majors in him. It wouldn't surprise me at all to see him get one more green jacket and possibly a PGA, but he needs that Open to be in the discussion of top-6 or 7 that ever lived. He's not there yet.

[ScouseJohnny]

Quote:

I still think to be in that elite category of Nicklaus, Woods, Player and Hogan, he needs a U.S. Open.

You missed out Sarazen.

[geauxforbroke]

We love to rank people, but it's really hard to compare golfers like Sarazen or Hagen to Woods or Mickelson. They play in very different times with different courses, competition, equipment, etc. I think what we can do is have an upper pantheon of golfers. Mickelson is in that group now. I think he's probably the only active player (other than Woods) that's there right now. There are others that could join them, but only time will tell.

[zipazoid]

Five majors (so far) and six runnerups (so far) in the US Open puts him into the category of one of the best players ever; a group of a dozen or so.

You got the top tier of Jones, Hogan, Nicklaus, Woods. Right behind them you have Hagen, Sarazen, Player, Palmer, Trevino, Snead. Right behind them you have Ballesteros, Faldo, Watson, Nelson. I realize some will juxtapose some players between those categories & that's certainly fine; but as a whole, there are your top players.

I think Mickelson is somewhere in the top of the 3rd or bottom of the 2nd group. If he retired right now, you could compare his career to a Nelson, Faldo or Seve - 5, 6 & 5 majors each. But he gets nudged ahead of them with the six 2nd place finishes in the US Open...cannot overlook those.

He played/plays like Palmer, that on-the-edge-of-reckless-abandon, and like Palmer, has kicked away quite a few majors. Has a short game second to nobody (even Seve). And don't forget he is suffering from psoriatic arthritis...and still smoked a 305-yard 3-wood into the wind onto the green on 17. He tries shots nobody else short of Palmer would try.