Phil Mickelson’s first-team all-galaxy calves are getting warmed up in style for LIV Golf’s Nashville tournament.
While recent U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau parades around Broadway and lets fans touch the one major trophy Phil could never get his hands on, I could see why Lefty is blowing off a little steam on the dance floor.
In all seriousness, though, for a man who infamously had the lowest vertical leap in professional sports history when he won The Masters, Phil’s got some grace in those legs after all. Check him out, getting down to “The Fireman” by George Strait.
I’m sorry all due respect, but who came up with these LIV Golf team names? HyFlyers? Really? Is that prefix supposed to be short for “hybrid” as in the easier-to-hit-than-irons clubs? Like a cutesy comment on the team members’ versatility? Well sh*t I hope so, because as dorky as it is, Phil is certainly showing off some versatility here!
Turns out, the team slogan is, “There’s always another level.” Leaning more into the high-flying aspect of the squad moniker. I get it. Respect. I’ll stop making fun.
To be fair to Phil re: the U.S. Open dig, too: he was super classy in discussing Bryson’s thrilling victory, calling him the most “charismatic, fun player to watch” in the entire sport.
That’s high praise coming from Phil, who’s the ultimate showman for the gallery and endeared himself to many fans during his prime. Alas, sometimes his aggressive, risk-taking nature got the better of him. It’s a big reason he has six runner-up finishes in the U.S. Open without a win. Had he closed the deal on any one of those or even twice, Phil would be in another stratosphere among the game’s all-time greats, with a career Grand Slam in tow.
Although he’s taken a bit of a hit from some fans for being so contentious with the PGA Tour and defecting to LIV, the six-time major champ is still adored by millions around the world. Which brings us to today. Phil is cutting it up, having a great time, and is clearly still willing to take on new adventures at the age of 54. Cowboy hats off to him.
“The Fireman” is the final track off Strait’s Does Fort Worth Ever Cross Your Mind album that released in 1984. If I could retroactively, belatedly answer the question posed by that title, why yes, Fort Worth does cross my mind! We at Whiskey Riff had our company retreat there a while back. Got to meet all these awesome people in person. It was friggin’ awesome.
Anyway, I’ll play you out with this banger of a closing number from Strait’s certified platinum record, which will now make me think of Phil Mickelson whenever I hear it.
