Phil Mickelson will go head-to-head against Tiger Woods in Las Vegas less than a month, but in the meantime, Lefty is doling out some free advice to golfers.
The five-time major champion gave lessons to golfers before teeing off at a charity event in San Diego on Monday. The Freedom to Live golf tournament, staged at Fairbanks Ranch Country Club, raises money for people who have suffered catastrophic injuries.
Mickelson has donated to Freedom to Live but this was his first time attending the event. His lesson included swing demonstrations, a Q & A, and some chipping tips. He also posed for pictures and signed autographs.
“I hope it helps, I hope that it improves their game, but golf is such an individual sport there’s so many different ways to swing a club you have to siphon through what works best for you,” Mickelson said. “In chipping, there’s a pretty good rule of thumb for what works and what doesn’t, and hopefully these will help out.”
Mickelson shared a few thoughts about his highly anticipated $9 million showdown Woods, which will take place on the Friday after Thanksgiving.
”I’m really excited about the match,” Mickelson said. “We’ve got three weeks, I’m working in the gym right now, then in about four days I’ll get back on the golf course. I’m excited to get back on the course at Shadow Creek and play Tiger. It’s a fun event. It’s been great for me this offseason, because it’s kept me working on my game even though I’m not playing in tournaments, I’ve had to get my club speed up and just work on the right things, hopefully this will help not only in the match, but for a great 2019 season.”
That Vegas match can only be watched via pay-per-view, and will also include a charitable component. Woods and Mickelson will each donate a portion of the proceeds to a number of charities of their choosing, according to GolfChannel.com.
Steve Loy, Mickelson’s manager, said that Lefty plans to donate to three different charities: Mickelson’s own foundation, the Children of the 58 fund and the Las Vegas Shriners. Loy also said that Mickelson, Woods, and the PGA Tour will donate a portion of the event’s media rights fees. Meanwhile, Woods’ manager revealed that Tiger would donate to his own foundation and other unspecified local charities.
