Phil Mickelson added another tournament victory to his résumé, winning the PGA Tour Champions Charles Schwab Series at Ozark National.
Lefty won his first time out on the senior circuit, becoming the 20th golfer to do so and the second this year.
In doing so, he joined a fraternity that includes Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Lanny Wadkins, and just last month, Jim Furyk.
Even Tiger Woods took notice.
“Playing unbelievable golf,” Woods said during his Wednesday news conference ahead of the BMW Championship near Chicago. “There’s no reason why he can’t win every event he plays out there. He’s got such a big advantage over the rest of the field just with sheer length.”
Here’s a look at Mickelson and the other 19 golfers to win their senior circuit debuts.
Don January
1980 Atlantic City International
In the first tournament in Champions tour history (it was called the Senior PGA Tour back then), Don January took home the title and a first-place check good for $20,000. January finished 2nd and 3rd in his other senior events in 1980 but will always be remembered for winning the first tournament in Champions Tour history.
Roberto De Vicenzo
1980 U.S. Senior Open
Arnold Palmer
1980 PGA Seniors’ Championship
In December, Arnold Palmer won the PGA Seniors’ Championship in Miami, the fourth and final event on the senior tour’s inaugural season in 1980.
Rod Funseth
1983 Hall of Fame Tournament
Rod Funseth won the one and only Hall of Fame Tournament, which was held at Pinehurst No. 2 in 1983. He won by nine strokes.
Gary Player
1985 Quadel Seniors Classic
The week before Thanksgiving 1985, Gary Player won his first time out on the senior tour. It was the final year of a three-run for the tournament in Boca Raton, Florida.
George Archer
1989 Gatlin Brothers Southwest Senior Classic
It came down to a playoff in Abiline, Texas, with George Archer facing off against Orville Moody and Jimmy Powell. On the second playoff hole, a the par-3 16th, Moody and Powell both rinsed their golf balls in a lake and all Archer needed was par to win the event.
Jack Nicklaus
1990 Regions Tradition
Jack Nicklaus won the second Tradition, which was held at Desert Mountain Golf Club in Scottsdale from 1989 through 2001, in his first tournament on the senior tour. He won it again in 1991 and then went back-to-back a second time in 1995 and ’96.
Bruce Fleisher
1999 Royal Caribbean Classic
Former Miami club pro Bruce Fleisher won the 1999 season opener at Royal Caribbean Classic in Key Biscayne, Florida.
Lanny Wadkins
2000 Chubb Classic
Lanny Wadkins held off José Maria Cañizares, Walter Hall and Tom Watson in a four-man playoff to win his debut.
Bobby Wadkins
2001 Lightpath Long Island Classic
Bobby Wadkins never won on the PGA Tour but has four senior titles. His Long Island Classic tournament win came at the age of 50 years and 10 days, tying him with Mark Wiebe for the youngest golfers to win on the PGA Tour Champions.
Mark McNulty
2004 Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am
Still recovering from the effects of the shingles, McNulty won at TPC of Tampa Bay by a shot, holding off the crowd favorite Fuzzy Zoeller.
Mark Wiebe
2007 SAS Championship
Playing on a sponsor exemption, Wiebe tied Bobby Wadkins mark for youngest (50 years, 10 days) to win on the tour. Prior to this victory, Wiebe’s last win came in the 1986 Hardee’s Golf Classic.
Tom Lehman
2009 Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf
Lehman won the title in this team event where he partnered with Bernhard Langer. Lehman had turned 50 just a month before this event.
Michael Allen
2009 Senior PGA Championship
Allen played almost 20 years on the PGA Tour but never could find the winner’s circle there. In his first senior event, he found pay dirt. He also became the fourth golfer to win a major in his PGA Tour Champions debut.
Tom Pernice, Jr.
2009 SAS Championship
A 30-foot birdie putt on the final hole secured a one-shot victory for Tom Pernice, Jr., over Nick Price and David Frost. Pernice became the third first-timer to win on the senior tour in 2009.
Rocco Mediate
2013 Allianz Championship
Rocco Mediate shot a second-round 61 and then drained a long birdie putt on the final hole to claim his first senior tour event by one shot over Tom Pernice, Jr.
Jeff Maggert
2014 Rapiscan Systems Classic
The tournament was known as the Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic at the time Maggert won it. The victory made him the seventh golfer to claim wins on the now-Korn Ferry Tour, the PGA Tour and the PGA Tour Champions.
Miguel Angel Jimenez
2014 Mitsubishi Electric Classic
This is the first of nine wins for Jimenez since joining the over-50 crowd. He also notably has one win in all seven of his seasons on the Champions tour.
Jim Furyk
2020 The Ally Challenge
Jim Furyk posted a smooth-as-silk 68 to win his Champions debut. It was his first win on any tour in five years.
Phil Mickelson
2020 Charles Schwab Series at Ozarks National
Phil Mickelson put the over-50-set of golfers on notice that he’ll be a force to be reckoned with, should he decide to play on PGA Tour Champions. Mickelson posted 5-under 66 in the final round to go wire-to-wire and win the Charles Schwab Series at Ozarks National by four strokes over Tim Petrovic.