Phil Mickelson, 50, wins PGA Championship to become oldest major champion in golf history

KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C. — Phil Mickelson captured his sixth main and by far probably the most stunning Sunday on the PGA Championship, changing into, on the age of fifty, the oldest winner in main championship historical past.

He made two early birdies with that magical wedge recreation and let a forged of contenders fall too far behind to catch him within the shifting wind of Kiawah Island.

He closed with a 1-over 73, constructing a 5-shot lead on the again 9 and never making any essential errors that saved him from his place in historical past.

Julius Boros for 53 years held the excellence of golf’s oldest main champion. He was 48 when he gained the 1968 PGA Championship in San Antonio.

Pure chaos broke out alongside the 18th gap after Mickelson hit 9-iron safely to simply outdoors 15 ft that every one however secured a most inconceivable victory. 1000’s of followers engulfed him down the green — a scene sometimes seen solely on the Open Championship — till Mickelson emerged into view with a thumbs-up.

Chants of “Lefty! Lefty! Lefty!” chased him onto the inexperienced and into the scoring tent, his closing obligation of per week he gained’t quickly neglect.

Three months after 43-year-old Tom Brady gained a seventh Tremendous Bowl, Mickelson added to this 12 months of ageless wonders. Mickelson turned the primary participant in PGA Tour historical past to win tournaments 30 years aside. The primary of his 45 titles was in 1991, when he was nonetheless a junior at Arizona State.

Mickelson turned the tenth participant to win majors in three many years, an elite checklist that begins with Harry Vardon and was most not too long ago achieved by Tiger Woods.

Really inspirational to see @PhilMickelson do it once more at 50 years of age. Congrats!!!!!!!

— Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) Could 23, 2023

“He’s been on tour so long as I’ve been alive,” Jon Rahm stated. “For him to maintain that willingness to play and compete and apply, it’s really admirable.”

Brooks Koepka and Louis Oosthuizen had their probabilities, however solely briefly. Koepka was 4 over on the par-5s when the sport was nonetheless on and closed with a 74. Oosthuizen hit into the water as he was attempting to make a closing run and shot 73.

Mickelson completed at 6-under 282.

The victory got here one week after Mickelson accepted a particular exemption into the U.S. Open as a result of at No. 115 on the planet and winless the previous two years, he not was exempt from qualifying. He had not completed within the prime 20 in his previous 17 tournaments over almost 9 months. He apprehensive that he was not capable of hold his focus over 18 holes.

After which he beat the strongest subject of the 12 months — 99 of the highest 100 gamers — and made it look simple.

The PGA Championship had the most important and loudest crowd for the reason that return from the COVID-19 pandemic — the PGA of America stated it restricted tickets to 10,000, and it appeared like twice that many — and the followers made clear what they wished to see.

The opening hour made it appear as if the ultimate day might belong to anybody. The wind completed its change to the other way from the opening rounds, and whereas there was low scoring early, Mickelson and Koepka traded brilliance and error.

Koepka flew the inexperienced with a wedge on the par-5 second gap, might solely chip it about 6 ft to get out of an unimaginable lie and made double bogey, a 3-shot swing when Mickelson hit a deft pitch from thick grass behind the inexperienced.

Mickelson holed a sand shot from in need of the inexperienced on the par-5 third, just for Koepka to tie for the lead with a 2-shot swing on the sixth gap when he made birdie and Lefty missed the inexperienced nicely to the correct.

Kevin Streelman briefly had a share of the lead. Oosthuizen was lurking, regardless that it took him seven holes to make a birdie.

After which the potential for any drama was sucked out to sea.

Oosthuizen, coming off a birdie to get inside 3 photographs of the lead, needed to lay up out of the thick grass on the thirteenth after which despatched his third shot proper of the flag and into the water, making triple bogey.

Similar to that, Mickelson was up by 5 and headed towards the inward holes, the wind at his again on the way in which dwelling with what appeared like the complete state of South Carolina at his aspect.

The Related Press contributed to this report.