As the two teed off, Mickelson was losing to Bryan, who couldn’t resist making a jab as they walked to their golf carts. “You know what? Being in the presence of a legend and listening to him whine about losing to a YouTuber is… those are the moments I live for, Phil,” he said, lightheartedly.
Mickelson, ever humble, didn’t bite back right away, and Bryan attempted to soften his jibe by adding, “I did say something nice about you that you didn’t hear. I called you the second-greatest golfer to ever walk the planet.” That made the 54-year-old crack a smile, and he replied, “Nah, it was a lot of years ago, but nonetheless.”
Now, it’s no secret that Bryan was trying to poke Mickelson by calling him the second best. His rivalry with Woods is a known tale. One could argue that Woods’s sheer dominance overshadowed Mickelson’s achievements. So, when Wesley Bryan asked Phil, “Where do you have yourself on the all-time golfer list?” you could feel the tension shift. Mickelson, clearly not wanting to entertain that line of questioning, swiftly moved to his golf cart. Ignoring Bryan’s question, Lefty said, “I’m not going to fall for that.” And then, a little louder, he added, “Not gonna fall for that one. Being baited!”
Why did Phil Mickelson get ignited at Bryan’s question?