Phil Mickelson sizzles with 7-under 65 in final round of Masters

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Two years after shocking the world and winning the 2021 PGA Championship at age 50, Phil Mickelson carded a 7-under 65 Sunday at the Masters — his best-ever final round in the event.

Mickelson's day was the lowest round in Masters history by a player age 50 or older.

«No matter the outcome, I had so much fun today,» Mickelson, 52, said. «To come out today and play the way I did and hit the shots when I needed to, it's so much fun.»

A lot has happened for the three-time Masters winner since he won that PGA Championship. Mickelson left the PGA Tour for the rival LIV Golf, apologized for comments he made about the Tour and organizers of the Saudi-financed LIV, skipped last year's Masters, turned into a pariah of sorts among his peers and failed to play anything resembling decent golf on LIV. (Mickelson's three finishes this year on LIV were 27th, 32nd and 41st.)

Mickelson called Augusta an ideal course for his struggling game, saying he's about to go on a tear. Two days earlier, he had literally called his shot.

«I know I've been hitting it, playing better than I've been scoring,' Mickelson said Friday. „I'm looking forward to just putting one round together that I know I'm capable of, and if I do that, it's going to be a really fun weekend.“

On Sunday, he did just that. Mickelson began the day at 1-under and proceeded to make seven birdies and only one bogey. On the back nine, Mickelson birdied five of his last seven holes, including Nos. 17 and 18, to shoot a shocking 65. The last time Mickelson shot 65 in a major championship was the 2016 Open Championship.

»[No.] 6 was a big moment for him," said Jordan Spieth, Mickelson's playing partner on Sunday. «That was such a hard hole for him today with the wind.