One of golf’s most famous rivalries reached a hilarious boiling point at Augusta National, which ended with Tiger Woods telling Phil Mickelson to “cover your s***”
Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson have been rivals for more than two decades, and their love-hate relationship is well documented.
In a practice round ahead of the Nissan Open in 1998, the pair, then in their 20s, agreed to a $500 bet, with the winner taking all the cash. By the end of the round, Mickelson was the victor and celebrated by placing photocopies of his five $100 bills into Woods’ locker with a note that read: “Just wanted you to know Benji and his friends are very happy in their new home.”
The two wouldn’t play a practice round together again until 20 years later at the 2018 Masters. What followed was one of the sport’s greatest rivalries. But while it was bitter at times, tensions didn’t always boil over for the reasons you’d expect.
Legendary golf instructor Butch Harmon recalls a hilarious story about the rivalry from the Augusta locker room, involving one half-naked player and a sandwich.
Phenomenal Tiger & Phil story https://t.co/yk9ECJbNTA
— Riggs (@RiggsBarstool) March 10, 2021
“It’s a small locker room If you’ve ever been in it,” recalled Harmon on the Fore Play Podcast. “There are only three tables in it and so Phil’s on the middle table and there was somebody’s sandwich on the first table, so we sit down and Phil’s taking his pants off, then Tiger walks in and that’s Tiger’s sandwich.
“About this time Phil’s sitting there in his underwear and he’s folding his pants over this chair and Tiger goes ‘dude, what are you doing?’ – he ([Mickelson) goes ‘hey I don’t wear that cheap Nike s*** like you, Tom Ford makes my pants, I don’t want them wrinkled when I’m kicking your a** this afternoon.’
“And Tiger Woods without missing a beat says, ‘I don’t care who makes your pants cover your s*** up so I can eat my sandwich.’”
Over the years, Mickelson and Woods battled bitterly. The duo’s rivalry came to a head at the 2001 Masters when Woods secured all four of golf’s majors at the same time.
Mickelson played the best golf of his life in the first nine holes but Woods came back strong and secured the Green Jacket. On the final stretch after an impressive tee shot by Mickelson, Woods mockingly picked out a three-iron instead of a driver and out-drove his rival.
Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson have been rivals since they each emerged as pros in the 1990s
When Mickelson asked if Woods always hit that far with a three-iron, Woods responded that he usually hits it further. These days their rivalry is far friendlier with both men’s best years behind them, but ahead of the 2022 Masters on April 4 only Woods is expected to compete.
Woods is set to mount an improbable comeback at Augusta after being seriously injured in a car crash last February. Mickelson will miss his first Masters in 28 years after his controversial Saudi Golf League comments which lost him multiple longtime sponsors, including Amstel Light and KPMG.
No matter where this rivalry goes in the future, one thing is for sure, Woods won’t be eating a sandwich in the company of Mickelson anytime soon.
