While their careers started decades apart, Greg Norman and Phil Mickelson both left a lasting impact on the sport.

In this comparison, the focus is on how their PGA Tour careers developed across different periods of professional golf.

Greg Norman’s PGA Tour Career 

Norman began competing full-time on the PGA Tour in 1983. He claimed his first PGA Tour victory in the United States at the 1984 Kemper Open.

While he won the 1986 The Open Championship, he had to wait seven more years for another Major win. He won another The Open Championship in 1993, but his first win put him on the map. It was where a reporter referred to him as “the Great White Shark.” 

Although Norman came close to winning, it was all about close finishes at the Mjors. He finished as runner-up or tied for second place at the Masters Tournament three times. 

Norman’s career also includes 31 runner-up finishes, 11 third-place finishes, 91 top-five finishes, and 129 top-ten finishes. and earned official career earnings of $14,484,458.

More importantly, he ended his career with 71 wins outside the PGA Tour, and held the No. 1 ranking for 331 weeks

Phil Mickelson's PGA Tour Career

A right-handed player who swings left-handed, he became widely recognized across the sport during his time on the PGA Tour. 

Phil Mickelson entered the professional scene more than a decade after Greg Norman. He turned professional in 1992 and went on to win every major championship except the U.S. Open, where he finished as runner-up six times. 

Mickelson’s major victories consist of three Masters titles, two PGA Championships, and one Open Championship. He rounded it off with 45 PGA Tour wins and 45 international wins.

Mickelson's record also includes 38 runner-up finishes, 28 third-place finishes, 138 top-five finishes, and 198 top-ten finishes. Mickelson has earned official career prize money totaling $96,727,968.

Written by

Aditi Singh

Edited by

Siddharth Shirwadkar