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Best Golfers: Ranking the 10 greatest short games all-time

By Christopher O'Day

AUCHTERARDER, SCOTLAND - SEPTEMBER 26: Phil Mickelson (L) of the United States talks with captain Tom Watson on the 6th tee during the Morning Fourballs of the 2014 Ryder Cup on the PGA Centenary course at the Gleneagles Hotel on September 26, 2014 in Auchterarder, Scotland. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
AUCHTERARDER, SCOTLAND - SEPTEMBER 26: Phil Mickelson (L) of the United States talks with captain Tom Watson on the 6th tee during the Morning Fourballs of the 2014 Ryder Cup on the PGA Centenary course at the Gleneagles Hotel on September 26, 2014 in Auchterarder, Scotland. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /
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NAPA, CA – OCTOBER 06: Phil Mickelson chips onto the 18th green during the third round of the Safeway Open at the North Course of the Silverado Resort and Spaon October 6, 2018 in Napa, California. (Photo by Robert Laberge/Getty Images)
NAPA, CA – OCTOBER 06: Phil Mickelson chips onto the 18th green during the third round of the Safeway Open at the North Course of the Silverado Resort and Spaon October 6, 2018 in Napa, California. (Photo by Robert Laberge/Getty Images) /

Best Golfers #5: Phil Mickelson

Phil Mickelson is incredible with his wedges. You can’t go very far on the internet when looking at chip shots without running into something that Phil has done. Some are incredible. Others, like his right-handed attempt behind a fence, not so much.

Some of the shots are Phil just showing how masterful he is at it, albeit interjecting some fun into the equation. Mickelson is actually the reason that I started paying more attention to flop shots when I first saw the video of him hitting over Dave Pelz. Pelz is easily over 6 feet tall, and the ball clears him no problem. It probably would’ve made it over Gheorghe Mureșan without an issue.

It’s not just the crazy shots in practice that Phil hits, like knocking a ball backwards, but the fact he can do it in competition as well. Earlier this year, Phil went over the grandstands at The Genesis Open, leaving a 15-foot putt for birdie.

All of Phil’s practice at these insane shots have led to him being incredible around the green. He carries all types of wedges with him, having 4 in his bag, including a PW, a 54, a 60, and a 64. He actually worked with Cleveland to design his wedges, featuring 39% more groove.

Lefty is consistently one of the best around the green, and his compatriots admit it as well. In the same 2012 survey that named Luke Donald the best bunker player of today’s game, they named Phil as having the best short game.

Phil would be a spot or two higher on this list if he could rein himself in a little bit. He has cost himself shots in notable situations throughout his career by being overly aggressive. Then again, that is the reason he is one of the best golfers, and sometimes you have to take the good with the bad.

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