© Rob Schumacher/Imagn
Jack Nicklaus and Phil Mickelson likely won’t be exchanging Christmas cards this year after the 18-time major winner took a direct shot at Mickelson prior to the star of the 2025 Masters Tournament. Nicklaus, who was yet again an honorary starter at the event alongside Gary Player and Tom Watson, took a jab at Mickelson while answering a question surrounding the three-time Masters champion’s longevity in the game of golf.
In response, Nicklaus questioned Mickelson’s ability to continue to play while also talking up Tiger Woods amid his latest injury struggles.
“Well, you know, I don’t know what level Phil is competing at. I guess he’s still playing,” Nicklaus said when asked if he was surprising that Mickelson was still competing at a high level and Woods wasn’t. “He’s playing the LIV Tour, is he? I don’t know if he’s playing or not. I don’t know, you never see that anymore.
“But Tiger is hurt. I think Tiger will get well and Tiger will be back and play — Tiger will be 50 next year. I believe he’ll probably play the Senior Tour and I believe he’ll probably dominate the Senior Tour. Tiger is too much of a competitor to not play. I don’t believe he will not play. I believe he will play, I don’t think Tiger will play for money. He doesn’t need money. Tiger will play for competition. He loves competition, and he’s very good at it, obviously.”
Nicklaus then tried to soften the blow against Mickelson, but circled back to yet again praise Woods’ resilience in the face of injury.
“As far as Phil, I think Phil has been competitive in an odd event here and there but not really in the last few years. You know, Phil has been a good player. There’s no question about that. There’s no question he’s been a good player,” he said. “But I don’t really know what your question was about the two of them, but I think Tiger will — Tiger has had his issues, and he’s overcome most all of them each time he’s had them. I fully expect him to do that again.“
Mickelson, 54, is five years old than Woods. And he recently took third in LIV Golf event in Hong Kong in early March. Like Woods, he’s played a severely limited schedule. So it’s not entirely accurate to claim that he’s still playing at a high level. There is something to be said for Mickelson’s longevity. But he’d likely trade that for the nine additional major championships on Woods’ resume.