Phil Mickelson Announces Brother Tim To Retire As His Caddie

The LIV Golf player, who won the 2021 PGA Championship with Tim alongside him, made the announcement on his social media platforms

Phil and Tim Mickelson at the PGA Championship
Tim Mickelson has caddied for Phil for eight years
(Image credit: Getty Images)

LIV Golf player Phil Mickelson has announced that his brother Tim is retiring from caddying duties for the six-time Major winner.

The pair struck up a productive working relationship in the eight years that Tim, who is seven years younger than Lefty, had been on the bag, including victory at the 2021 PGA Championship and runner-up at last year’s Masters.

Mickelson also won the 2018 WGC-Mexico and 2019 Pebble Beach Pro-Am with his brother alongside him. However, in a message posted on his social media platforms, the 53-year-old has revealed that the spell has now come to an end.

He wrote: “I've had some great accomplishments in my career and getting to share them with my brother Tim has been beyond special. I’m very lucky to have had him on the bag for me the past eight years and as my brother for life."

Despite the success Mickelson has shared with Tim on the course for almost a decade, he has struggled to reproduce his best form since signing for LIV Golf in 2022, although a T6 for the Hy Flyers GC captain at LIV Golf Jeddah earlier in the month offered evidence that the partnership could still be successful.

However, Mickelson then hinted that his brother’s family commitments had led to the decision for Tim to end his caddying career, rather than for form-related reasons.

Phil Mickelson celebrates his PGA Championship with caddie Tim

The pair's greatest success came with Phil's win at the 2021 PGA Championship

(Image credit: Getty Images)

He continued: “So much has changed since he was single and we started working together. He’s found his life partner, Maranda, they’ve had their second son, and hopefully their family will continue to grow. While Tim is retiring from caddying, I’ll always cherish the many great moments we’ve shared on the course and I look forward to many more special moments off the course too.”

The news comes only two weeks before Mickelson returns to Augusta National as he attempts to claim a fourth title at The Masters to add to the ones he won in 2004, 2006 and 2010.

Mickelson held the clubhouse lead at the 2023 edition after his final round before Spaniard Jon Rahm, who Tim coached at Arizona State University, eventually claimed the Green Jacket.

Mike Hall
News Writer

Mike has over 25 years of experience in journalism, including writing on a range of sports throughout that time, such as golf, football and cricket. Now a freelance staff writer for Golf Monthly, he is dedicated to covering the game's most newsworthy stories. 

He has written hundreds of articles on the game, from features offering insights into how members of the public can play some of the world's most revered courses, to breaking news stories affecting everything from the PGA Tour and LIV Golf to developmental Tours and the amateur game. 

Mike grew up in East Yorkshire and began his career in journalism in 1997. He then moved to London in 2003 as his career flourished, and nowadays resides in New Brunswick, Canada, where he and his wife raise their young family less than a mile from his local course. 

Kevin Cook’s acclaimed 2007 biography, Tommy’s Honour, about golf’s founding father and son, remains one of his all-time favourite sports books.