Phil Mickelson celebrates Tiger Woods

Of all people, you wouldn't expect Phil Mickelson to be giving Tiger a massive endorsement. They don't get on. Simple as that. Despite the pics below, they hate each other. Well, don't they? Everyone says it. The media, the... errrmm... media and then there's the ...media... Hmm, maybe we've had some golf wool pulled over our eyes...

Tiger hates Phil, Phil hates Tiger - good for ratings. The two most recognisable players for years going head to head in weekly PGA Tour grudge matches. Very good for ratings. For all we know, Phil and Tiger could actually be the best of pals. They might go on rambling holidays together. They might send each other pictures of themselves doing stuff... well, actually, let's not go there...

What we do know is that Phil just told Golf.com that the current furor about a golden era for golf and the 'New Big 3-4-5' is nothing compared to the Tiger era.

"You said what about me?!"

"There is nobody in the game of golf that I have seen that is remotely close to the level of performance Tiger was in his prime," Lefty said. "Mentally, short game, or ball striking, I don't think anybody matches him in any of those areas. And Tiger put them all together in one to create a career that is mind-boggling.

"So it's difficult for me to see the game of golf returning to the level that it was at during his heyday without somebody like that. ... I think we're decades away from anybody getting back to that level."

"Go Tiger! Phil & the USA Ryder Cup gang give serious 'props' to the dude at Medinah. (You been watching Entourage again?! – Ed)

So there you have it. Phil Mickelson loves Tiger Woods. They do go on rambling holidays together and send pictures to each other of them doing stuff... And, whichever way you look at it, Mickelson is probably the best placed person to make such a declaration. He played alongside him in Ryder Cup matches, played against him a plethora of times in majors and was on the wrong end of many defeats by the former World Number 1. 

"This is great, they've got no chance from here." Tiger & Phil tempt The Miracle Of Medinah on Ryder Cup Saturday 2012...

Up close and personal, Phil was right there in the thick of the Tiger era – the era of 'The Big 1'. Regarding the current 'Big 3-4 or 5', and which one might threaten Tiger's record of 14 majors (so far dude, so far!!), Lefty thought  for a moment and said...

"Possibly one, yes." Which one? "I'm not going to say that. That's quite a little tease for you."

Come on Phil, you clearly meant Rory. Or possibly Jordan. Or possibly... Mmmm, Big 5.....

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