Phil

“Thoroughly engaging.”
—Gene Wang, The Washington Post

“A rollicking good time . . . Who is Phil? Shipnuck presents both the good and bad and leaves it to the reader to decide where they come out in the end. . . . I suspect Phil’s fan base will find reasons anew to adore him even more while his detractors will find fresh ammo to argue that he’s one of the all-time phonies.”
—Adam Schupak, Golfweek

“Alan Shipnuck didn’t know his biography of Phil Mickelson would become the most anticipated and newsworthy release of a golf book since his 2011 collaboration with Michael Bamberger, The Swinger, a work of fiction that was a thinly disguised version of Tiger Woods. . . . The big difference is that Phil is true—difficult as it may be to believe some of the exploits, stories, and anecdotes packed into the book. . . . Shipnuck vividly tells the story of a walking, talking, shot-making contradiction.”
—Gary Smits, Florida Times-Union

“Riveting . . . When people get their hands on a book billed as a ‘rip-roaring’ account, they will be buying a rip-roaring good time celebrating and illuminating the (golf) genius Mickelson has long been. . . . The book captures the often perverse ways Mickelson always needs something to play for. Endlessly. Exhaustingly so. And the stories come almost entirely from named sources. The total package that is Shipnuck’s Phil is also combined with plenty of incredible stories of generosity, making for an entertaining read that gives golf fans a much-needed book to talk about.”
—Geoff Shackelford, The Quadrilateral

“Sports writing is often the best writing, a fact well known to those who read about sports and inconceivable to those who don’t. For a vivid reminder, look no further than this unauthorized biography. . . . Phil is well researched, bracingly written, and full of previously unreported color; Mickelson emerges as a mercurial and charismatic figure whose record-setting golf game is possibly the least interesting thing about him.”
—James Tarmy, Bloomberg Businessweek

“A robust, comprehensive, bald-faced foray into the gigantic life of a man now living in an oversized kettle of hot water. . . . Shipnuck’s nose for the truth takes the reader into some dark and disconcerting places. He provides frequent and fully anecdoted references to Mickelson’s gambling. . . . He also addresses the minefield of rumors loosely connected to Philly Mick’s personal life, unveiling stories that have circulated for more than two decades. That’s another thing about Shipnuck. He has a big pair, especially for a golf writer. And they’re both made of brass. He also has an appropriate sense of what is journalistically fair, and this book doesn’t come close to crossing the line. . . . The salacious stuff gets most of the attention, but the product in its entirety is engaging, addictive and impressive.”
—John Hawkins, Sports Illustrated

“A thoroughly readable portrait of a man who, for good and ill, shatters every stereotype of golfers as personality-deficient cyphers.”
—Bill Ott, Booklist

“For years, in all the better press tents, there’s been a debate: Is there a writer BIG enough to capture Phil? Turns out, there is. Alan on Phil! Shipnuck’s latest win is no ordinary event. It’s a major.”
—Michael Bamberger, New York Times bestselling author of Men in Green and The Second Life of Tiger Woods

“I devoured every win, wager, and ounce of Mickelson mischief in this unflinching portrayal of golf’s most complicated character. Hero? Gentleman? Jerk? Shipnuck’s masterful reporting is packed with inside information (the legal sort) that lets the reader decide. Thumbs up, indeed.”
—Tom Coyne, New York Times bestselling author of A Course Called America and A Course Called Ireland

“Alan Shipnuck has spent his whole career writing about and thinking about Phil, and that palpable fascination for his subject has fueled a superb biography. Anecdotes fly off the page, made rollicking and weighty by engaged and perceptive sources. Mickelson’s golfing genius, charisma, and foibles are tracked with a high-wire blend of irreverence and dispassion. For all of that, it’s Shipnuck’s unflinching pursuit of Phil’s complexity that will most endure.”
—Jaime Diaz, Golf Channel commentator and #1 New York Times bestselling coauthor (with Hank Haney) of The Big Miss