Phil Mickelson has spent more than three decades playing golf at the highest level, winning six major titles and compiling 45 PGA Tour victories along the way.
So when he weighs in on golf course difficulty, it’s worth listening.
Augusta National, the site of three of Mickelson’s major triumphs, didn’t crack his top two – though the 54-year-old did have a spot for it further down his list.
Phil Mickelson picks Oakmont and Torrey Pines as the hardest courses he has played
Mickelson was asked to name the toughest golf courses he has ever played. And whilst he name-checked Augusta, there are two standout courses in the six-time major champion’s eyes when it comes to difficulty.
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He said to LIV Golf: “The hardest is Oakmont, not just because they have the US Open there, I mean day in day out it’s the hardest. I think second hardest is Torrey Pines. Torrey Pines, under the same conditions, it’s 7,600 yards at sea level, I think that golf course is brutally difficult.
“I think Augusta National is one of the top five hardest golf courses. Without rough, it’s playable, but because it’s so long and the greens are so severe, that if you had the same conditions of any other course, Augusta is one of the five hardest courses in the world.”
Phil Mickelson’s record at Oakmont and Torrey Pines
His record at Oakmont is surprising given the fact he’s such a great golfer on difficult golf courses. He has never finished above 33rd at the venue.
| Results | Oakmont | Torrey Pines |
| Tournaments played | 4 | 34 |
| Wins | 0 | 3 |
| Top-10s | 0 | 10 |
| Top-25s | 0 | 13 |
| Cuts made | 2 | 25 |
However, Torrey Pines is a completely different story. In addition to three career wins in San Diego, Mickelson finished runner-up four times between 1993 and 2011.
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