Alan Shipnuck picks who is the better golfer out of Rory McIlroy and Phil Mickelson, ‘It’s not close’
Photo by Harry How/Getty Images The author of Rory McIlroy’s latest biography, Alan Shipnuck, has compared the 2026 Masters champion with Phil Mickelson. Shipnuck was asked on social media whether McIlroy was now a greater golfer than Mickelson after his latest success at Augusta National. The writer then claimed there was a significant gap between the two all-time greats for a few different reasons.
Alan Shipnuck rates Rory McIlroy higher than Phil Mickelson McIlroy’s second consecutive victory at the Masters means he has tied Mickelson with six major championships in his career. While Mickelson has won an extra Green Jacket, he has not completed the career Grand Slam after failing to win the US Open. Photo by Hector Vivas/Getty Images Shipnuck argued this was a key reason Mickelson falls a long way short of McIlroy in the rankings of the greatest players ever.
He also highlighted the LIV golfer’s inability to reach the world number one position or to earn the most money in a PGA Tour season. “Amazingly, I still have affection for Phil,” Shipnuck tweeted. “But he never won a money title, never got to number one, never won around the world, and famously couldn’t win a US Open.
Rory [is better than] Phil, and it’s not close. ” Shipnuck’s stance suggests McIlroy is in his top 10 golfers ever – a momentous achievement with many more years ahead of him. In another post, the author questioned whether McIlroy’s most recent victory was the best of his two-decade-long career.
“Was this Rory’s most impressive major championship win? Never had his A-game, but chipped and putted and managed his way into the lead,” Shipnuck wrote. “Then never panicked when he lost the lead.