It’s rare to see Phil Mickelson walk back a jab, especially one aimed at a PGA Tour loyalist. Earlier this year, he posted, “Here’s a hot take. Does Scottie win in 2025 before the Ryder Cup? I don’t think so.” The remark raised eyebrows across the golf world and was followed by another jab, this time when LIV golfer Joaquin Niemann was being compared to Scottie Scheffler. When someone floated the idea that Niemann deserved to be in the top five in the world, Mickelson responded, “Top 5? Try #1.”

At that point in the season, Scheffler finished T20 at 4-under in the PLAYERS Championship and had not yet secured a win in official PGA Tour competition. While his ball-striking remained elite, critics pointed to his putting inconsistencies—especially from inside 10 feet—as a potential ceiling.  The early-season slump gave Mickelson some plausible ground. The Ryder Cup wasn’t until September, and Scheffler’s putting stats ranked outside the top 100 through March. Niemann, meanwhile, had opened 2025 with a LIV Golf win and a top-3 finish in the DP World Tour’s Dubai Desert Classic, raising his global profile. His form shifted dramatically after that.

Since Sawgrass, he hasn’t missed a single top-10 finish. In ten starts, he’s finished in the top five six times, including wins at the CJ Cup, the PGA Championship, and the Memorial Tournament. His dominance isn’t just reflected in wins—he leads the PGA Tour in scoring average at 68.45 and also tops the field in strokes gained tee to green (2.64). For context, his 68.01 scoring average in 2024 was the best in modern PGA Tour history, even surpassing any season by Tiger Woods. The only over-par rounds he’s played since Sawgrass came at Oakmont during the U.S. Open, where he opened with 73 and 71. Now at Royal Portrush, Scheffler holds a four-shot lead after three rounds, sitting at 14-under heading into Championship Sunday. Seeing Scheffler’s consistency, PGA Tour veteran Kevin Kisner circled back to Mickelson on X, asking for an update. That’s when Mickelson publicly admitted he was wrong.

 “Kiz, my man. I’ve never been afraid to make mistakes on the course or off, knowing I’ll have to deal with scrutiny from the public, media, or social media. I’ve already acknowledged I was wrong on this,” he wrote, and then followed it with a broader take on pressure and scrutiny in pro sports: “This is a good example of why so many people are afraid to put themselves out there and compete or take risks because they know it’ll be thrown back in their face and they can’t handle it… But others struggle dealing with the heat and scrutiny that professional sports and being in the public eye brings and drives many away from the game, which is too bad but is reality for so many.”

So yes, he acknowledges that he was at fault when he took several digs. And even before this, after Scheffler’s PGA Championship win in May, Mickelson had already softened his stance, posting on X: “Congrats to Scottie Scheffler on an incredible performance. Clearly #1 in the world,” hinting that his previous backing of Niemann as No. 1 might’ve been misplaced.

While it’s still unclear what exactly Mickelson’s intent was when he made those earlier remarks—whether to stir the pot, stand up for LIV golfers, or just offer a hot take—Scheffler chose not to engage. Instead, his performance on the course has done all the talking.

His surge at Portrush adds to that momentum. With a win on Sunday, Scheffler will become the first World No. 1 since Tiger Woods to hold the 36-hole lead in a major and convert it into a victory. The win would also bring him within one major of becoming just the seventh golfer to achieve a career Grand Slam.

If that happens, don’t be surprised if Mickelson has another post lined up—perhaps still feeling the sting of how this all started.