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The 20 golfers who won their PGA Tour Champions debuts

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

Don January

Don January in the 1995 Ralph’s Senior Classic held at Rancho Park Golf Club in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Jon Cuban/Allsport

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

(Photo by Getty Images/Getty Images)

1980 U.S. Senior Open

The USGA first held the U.S. Senior Open in 1980 at Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, New York. Golfers were required to be a minimum of age 55, which was the standard for senior amateur championships at the time. Roberto De Vicenzo battled the flu the week before, but at Winged Foot he shot a final-round 70 to finish with a 1-over 285 total, a four-stroke win over Bill Campbell. The next year, the USGA lowered the age to 50, opening the door for a 51-year-old Arnold Palmer to win the U.S. Senior Open.

Arnold Palmer

Arnold Palmer

Arnold Palmer holds the trophy after winning the PGA Seniors Championship in Miami on Dec. 8, 1980. Photo by Randy Taylor/Associated Press

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

1978 Masters

Rod Funseth (left) sits next to Tom Watson, who won the 1978 Masters Tournament at Augusta National. Photo by Peter Dazeley/Getty Images

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

Gary Player

Gary Player at the1965 U.S. Open. Photo by Associated Press

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

George Archer smiles after winning the 1969 Masters Tournament. AP photo

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

Jack Nicklaus

Jack Nicklaus at the 1991 Masters Tournament in Augusta, Georgia. Photo by Associated Press

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

Bruce Fleisher

Bruce Fleisher holds the championship trophy on Saturday, Aug. 31, 1968 in Columbus, Ohio after winning the U.S. Amateur.

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

Lanny Wadkins

Lanny Wadkins in 1988. Photo by Peter Southwick/Associated Press

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

Bobby Wadkins

Bobby Wadkins at the 2006 Boeing Championships. Photo by Jason Parkhurst

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

Mark McNulty

Mark McNulty at the Royal Troon Golf Club in Scotland during the 1997 Open Championship.

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

Mark Wiebe

Mark Wiebe at the Toshiba Classic.

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

Tom Lehman

Photo by USA TODAY Sports

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

Michael Allen

Michael Allen during a news conference for the Liberty Mutual Insturance Legends of Golf at Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort and Spa.

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.

Tom Pernice Jr.

Tom Pernice Jr. uses his Titleist 909D3 driver at the SAS Championship.

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

Rocco Mediate

Rocco Mediate at the 2013 Allianz Championship.

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

Jeff Maggert

Jeff Maggert won his Champions Tour debut in 2014.

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

Miguel Angel Jimenez

Miguel Angel Jimenez. Photo by USA TODAY Sports

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

Jim Furyk

Jim Furyk plays his shot from the first tee during the final round of the Ally Challenge presented by McLaren at Warwick Hills Golf & Country Club on August 2, 2020 in Grand Blanc, Michigan. Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images

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

Phil Mickelson

Phil Mickelson poses with the tournament trophy after the 2020 Charles Schwab Series at Ozarks National in Missouri. Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images

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.

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