PHIL MICKELSON’S 26-YEAR STAY INSIDE THE WORLD’S TOP 50

It was, as the man himself said, “a good run”. When Mickelson finished runner-up at the Casio World Open on the Japan Golf Tour in November 1993, he entered the world’s top 50 for the first time – and he stayed there for 1,353 straight weeks. Lefty was 23 years old, President Bill Clinton was in office, Meat Loaf was number one in the charts and Tiger Woods was doing his amateur thing.

Golf’s greatest streak came to an end in November last year, when the Californian, who turned professional in 1992, finished in a tie for 28th at the

World Golf Championships-hsbc Champions in China (right). Shugo Imahira’s runner-up spot at the Mynavi ABC Championship on the Japan Golf Tour saw Mickelson bumped into unfamiliar territory.

It’s hard to see such a record ever being challenged. To put it into perspective, Rory Mcilroy – the player currently on the longest streak inside the top 50 – would need to maintain his form for going on 15 more seasons to supplant Mickelson. It seems unlikely given how he once viewed his future – not playing competitively into his 40s.

Perhaps the key to Mickelson’s longevity has been his long and rhythmical swing – coupled, of course, with an exquisite short game. When the streak came to an end, he talked of a lack of mental sharpness, which is arguably the most impressive aspect of this achievement – his incredible focus over such a long period.