Throughout every step of his distinguished career, Phil Mickelson’s wife, Amy Mickelson, has been a fixture in his corner. She has been there during the years when he wore the label of the best golfer to never win a major, celebrated when Phil finally broke through at the 2004 Masters, and just recently watched her husband become the oldest winner of a major when he won the 2021 PGA Championship.
However, Amy Mickelson is more than just a woman standing beside her husband during his multiple decades of success. She has an interesting past herself that goes beyond Phil’s golf career and their nearly quarter century of marriage. Learn a few things about Lefty’s wife here!
Where Did Phil Mickelson Meet Amy Mickelson?
Before joining the pro tour, Phil was tearing up the college game as an Arizona State Sun Devils men’s golf team member. Amy McBride was a cheerleader for the NBA’s Phoenix Suns while she was simultaneously a junior at ASU. When they met in 1992, Mickelson, who had completed his eligibility in the fall and officially joined the PGA Tour, told McBride that he was a professional golfer. At first, she didn’t realize what that meant.
McBride thought Mickelson worked as a golf instructor at one of the courses in Phoenix but soon learned that he was actually one of the brightest future stars on the golf course. From then on, she became Phil’s biggest supporter, and the couple spent the next three years dating. In November 1996, their union became official with their wedding at the end of Phil’s golf season.
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Amy Mickelson Nearly Gave Birth During the 1999 U.S. Open
Here’s how much Amy Mickelson has supported her husband’s career: when she was pregnant with their first child, daughter Amanda, she didn’t tell Phil that she was going into labor when the moment came.
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Why? Because when Amy went into labor, Phil was within striking distance of winning his first major championship. But Amy didn’t want to distract him from what could be a signature moment in his career. To that point, Phil hadn’t finished higher than third in a major event. And with him starting to gain the reputation of a player who couldn’t get the job done when it counted, the last thing Amy wanted was to possibly get in the way of his success.
Phil finished second in that tournament, ultimately losing out to Payne Stewart, and as of 2024, the U.S. Open remains the only major that the Lefty hasn’t won. However, the weekend was still a major win for the Mickelsons. That’s because Amy gave birth the next day to Amanda, the first of their three children.
Amy Mickelson Survived A Difficult Childbirth
2009 wasn’t the first health scare that Amy Mickelson has faced in her life. In 2003, she became pregnant with their third child and first son, Evan. After her first two deliveries were fairly straightforward, outside of Phil playing in the U.S. Open, this was also expected to be routine.
However, during this delivery, she ruptured an artery and came inches away from losing her life. At the same time, Evan was unresponsive at birth, leaving both of their lives hanging in the balance. Fortunately, doctors were able to help both of the men pull through and make a full recovery. In 2021, Evan Mickelson graduated from high school.
Also Read: Reliving Phil Mickelson’s Dramatic Switch To LIV Golf Back In 2022
Phil Mickelson’s Wife Is a Breast Cancer Survivor
This became one of the most emotional stories in golf in 2009 and 2010, as Amy Mickelson was diagnosed with breast cancer in May 2009. This resulted in her undergoing treatments and Phil stepping away from the tour in order to support her.
The story attracted the attention of golfers all over the PGA Tour. Many began wearing pink during their rounds to show support for the Mickelson family. Eventually, Amy’s health began to take a turn for the better. As a result, Phil was able to return to the tour full-time. When he did return to playing, his golf attire carried a pink ribbon, the universally recognized symbol for breast cancer awareness.
In 2010, a year after Amy Mickelson had her first diagnosis of cancer, Phil came up with one of the most heartwarming moments of his career. For the first three rounds at the Masters, Phil fought the course at Augusta National alone, as Amy was still considered too ill to travel to Georgia. But on the final day of the Masters, Phil found himself in the final group with tournament leader Lee Westwood, one shot off the lead.
On the final day, Amy was able to travel to Augusta. Just as she had in 1999, she did what she had to do to support her husband. This time, Phil completed the job with a mistake-free final round, leaving the 18th hole as nothing more than a formality. When Phil sank his final putt to earn his third green jacket, Amy was waiting for him. The two shared a touching embrace that showed the win was hers as much as it was his.
Phil Mickelson And His Wife Started a Foundation
The Mickelsons have proven throughout their marriage that family has come first for both of them. After Amy survived a difficult childbirth, the family decided to focus on helping other families in need through their charity efforts.
The Phil and Amy Mickelson Foundation offers assistance to low-income families by donating items, such as books, and providing cash initiatives in the face of tragedies. One great example came in 2017 when the Mickelson Foundation donated $100,000 toward hurricane relief for the victims of Hurricane Harvey. According to Amy, the foundation does not seek donations but does accept them. And all money raised goes toward the foundation’s projects.
No matter how much longer Phil Mickelson chooses to pursue success in the golf circuit, there’s one certainty in his life: his wife, Amy Mickelson, will continue to be with him for every step of the journey.
