We can’t remember if it was Harry Vardon or Sam Snead who famously said, “Don’t count your chickens before they’re hatched.” And with 18 holes still to play at the PGA Championship, there is still some hatching to come at the Ocean Course. But with Phil Mickelson holding a one-shot lead heading into the final round – a margin down from five shots starting the back nine on Saturday – it’s still fair to say that a victory on Sunday is an outcome many would like to see.
Should that victory come to pass, there are a handful of milestones that Mickelson would accomplish. If you’re afraid of jinxing Lefty, stop reading now. If you’re curious what could be in his future, feel free to continue.
With a win at the PGA, Mickelson …
• Would, at age 50, become the oldest golfer to win a Major, breaking Julius Boros’ previous record of being 48 when he won the 1968 PGA Championship at Pecan Valley in San Antonio.
• Would claim a sixth Major championship, tying him with Nick Faldo and Lee Trevino for 12th on the all-time men’s list.
• Would claim a 45th PGA Tour victory, tying him with Walter Hagen for eighth on the all-time win list.
• Would become the fourth player in PGA Tour history to win a tournament in four different decades (joining Sam Snead, Raymond Floyd and Davis Love III).
• Would be the third player to win a PGA Tour event after previously winning a PGA Tour Champions event (joining Craig Stadler and Fred Funk).
• Would be the lowest player in the World Ranking (115th) to win a Major since Shaun Micheel at the 2003 PGA Championship (169th).
• Would earn the biggest paycheque ($US2.145 million) of his 30-year PGA Tour career (previous biggest earnings was $US1.7 million for his win at the 2018 WGC-Mexico).
• Would have gone the longest time between wins of any multiple PGA Championship winner, having claimed his first title in 2005.
