Stats
PGA Championship: Phil Mickelson reaches an amazing milestone in addition to tying a tournament record
Kevin C. Cox
It wasn't easy, but Phil Mickelson made the cut on the number at the 2023 PGA Championship. And in the process, the six-time major champ added a couple more impressive accomplishments to his legendary resume.
Mickelson shot a second-round 72 at Oak Hill to finish at five over through 36 holes to narrowly advance to the weekend. And he might not have made it if not for a PGA rules official keeping him from taking a bad drop on the sixth hole.
"He came and saved me a stroke," Mickelson told reporters after. "So I was very appreciative."
No matter how Mickelson made it to the weekend, the point is that he made it there. Again. Like he's done so many times. And with this result, Mickelson made it an even 100 times in which he's made the cut at a major championship in 119 starts.
For comparison, Tiger Woods has made 91 career starts in majors, making 77 cuts. So, yeah, hitting the century mark in this regard is a remarkable feat of both talent and longevity.
But that wasn't the only milestone Mickelson reached. With this being the 27th cut he's made at a PGA Championship, the 52-year-old tied the record held by Jack Nicklaus and Raymond Floyd.
Not surprisingly, Nicklaus holds the record for most major cuts made. And having done it a whopping 131 times, that record seems pretty safe. But Mickelson, who became the oldest major champ at the 2021 PGA and who finished runner-up at the Masters in April, has a great chance to pass Gary Player (102) for second place.
But despite entering the weekend at Oak Hill 10 shots behind leaders Scottie Scheffler, Viktor Hovland, and Corey Conners, the LIV Golf star is focused on something more immediate.
"It makes me optimistic that I still made the cut playing as poorly as I did," Mickelson said, "and I think if I can get it turned around, I can make a run."
MORE FROM GOLF DIGEST @ THE PGA CHAMPIONSHIP