Mickelson On Woods Car Crash: "Thankful He's Still With Us"

The five-time Major winner says that we're lucky Woods' kids didn't lose their father

Mickelson On Woods Car Crash
(Image credit: Getty Images)

The five-time Major winner says that we're lucky Woods' kids didn't lose their father

Mickelson On Woods Car Crash: "Thankful He's Still With Us"

Phil Mickelson has reiterated Rory McIlroy's comments after Tiger Woods' car accident, saying that he is appreciative that Woods' children haven't lost their father.

Lefty, a long-time rival and now friend of Woods, says that Tiger returning to golf is far from his mind and he is just thankful the 15-time Major winner is still alive.

Woods was "very fortunate" to survive the accident according to the LA Police, who revealed that Tiger has no recollection of the crash.

"So all the guys here understand and appreciate what he has meant to the game of golf and for us and the PGA Tour," Mickelson said of Tiger Woods.

"We all are very appreciative and supportive of what he's done for us, but right now that's so far from our minds.

"And I thought Rory McIlroy really said it well when he said that we're just lucky and appreciative that his kids didn't lose their father.

"We all are hoping and praying for a full and speedy recovery, but we're also thankful, because that looked awful, and we're thankful he's still with us."

Related: Woods rehab to take 1-2 years - Foot and Ankle surgeon

The five-time Major winner, who has played in two high-profile exhibition matches with Woods in recent years, said that Tiger has benefitted the entire game in helping get golf back on the front page of newspapers.

"We were opponents you know, competing against each other for quite some time, then we started working together to try to get the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup team events, to get our players to play our best, and then we became partners in developing a couple of matches," he said of their relationship through the years.

"It's been fun to be able to work with him.

"Again, I realise, just like all the guys here do, how much he's meant to the game of golf and the growth and getting us off the back page and onto the front page.

"We've all benefited from him."

Elliott Heath
News Editor

Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news team as well as our large Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. He covered the 2022 Masters from Augusta National as well as five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. His first Open was in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, when he walked inside the ropes with Jordan Spieth during the Texan's memorable Claret Jug triumph. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Western Gailes, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays off of a six handicap. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!


Elliott is currently playing:


Driver: Titleist TSR4

3 wood: Titleist TSi2

Hybrids: Titleist 816 H1

Irons: Mizuno MP5 5-PW

Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58

Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5

Ball: Srixon Z Star XV