Report: Phil Mickelson in 'exploratory talks' to become TV golf analyst

Ryan Young
·Staff writer
·2 min read
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.

Phil Mickelson may not just be headed to the PGA Tour Champions next in his golf career.

Lefty is reportedly eyeing a television gig.

Mickelson’s representatives confirmed to Front Office Sports’ Michael McCarthy on Tuesday that they have “started exploratory talks” with networks about Mickelson becoming a golf analyst in the near future.

“Absolutely, we’re always in discussions about Phil’s future,” longtime business partner Steve Loy told Front Office Sports. “It wouldn’t surprise me if in the next 12 to 24 months you might see more of Phil on the air.”

Mickelson has won 44 times on the PGA Tour throughout his career, and was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2012. He last won at the 2019 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, though he has missed the cut in four of his eight appearances on Tour this season. His best finish came at the Safeway Open in September, when he finished T44.

Though his Tour career seems to be winding down, Mickelson boats a perfect record on the PGA Tour Champions — the senior Tour for players over 50. Mickelson, who turned 50 last year, won both the Charles Schwab Series at Ozark National and the Dominion Energy Charity Classic last season.

Phil Mickelson at the 2020 US Open
Phil Mickelson may be the next great TV golf analyst. (AP/John Minchillo)

Mickelson a perfect fit for TV

Mickelson may keep golfing at his own pace on either Tour, but there’s little doubt that he’d be a perfect fit as a golf analyst.

He’s participated in “The Match” three different times with various celebrities and stole the show in the made-for-TV golf challenge. He’s repeatedly jumped into the broadcast booth on Tour, and even shined at the PGA Championship last year alongside Jim Nantz and Nick Faldo.

He hosted a 9-hole charity challenge at The American Express golf tournament in January, too, and was a hit — especially when he jumped in for a quick bunker challenge at PGA West.

Where Mickelson ends up, though, is a different story. CBS, ESPN and NBC all hold rights to golf tournaments throughout the season and could realistically make a play for Mickelson.

“The networks want Phil — but the price points right now are night and day,” a source told Front Office Sports. “The question is: Can anybody pay him enough? And does he want to call 10 to 20 tournaments a year?”

More from Yahoo Sports: