Phil Mickelson joined Twitter this week both to promote his upcoming pay-per-view match against Tiger Woods and get in a few quick jabs at the expense of his longtime rival. Woods, naturally, clapped back.
Mickelson quickly got the hang of the social media platform—or at least, hired someone well versed in all things Twitter—by claiming to have this “Twitter thing down” and included a GIF of himself winking.
I got this @Twitter thing down pic.twitter.com/gUx8XjNrez
— Phil Mickelson (@PhilMickelson) August 22, 2018
In his follow-up tweet, the PGA champion said he was excited to tee off at the Pro-Am at Northern Trust and to use his new account.
I am about to tee off in the Pro Am for the Northern Trust. Excited to start and excited to Tweet!
— Phil Mickelson (@PhilMickelson) August 22, 2018
Not long after, Mickelson brought his love/hate relationship with Woods to an online forum by responding to Woods’ promotion of their Thanksgiving Weekend face-off in Las Vegas.
It’s on @PhilMickelson #TigerVSPhil pic.twitter.com/PZivYPOEf5
— Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) August 22, 2018
Lefty was quick to reply to Woods’ proclamation that “it’s on” by trash-talking and then pointing out the massive error in the photo promoting the event.
I bet you think this is the easiest $9M you will ever make😂
— Phil Mickelson (@PhilMickelson) August 22, 2018
@TigerWoods I see you have a left-handed driver, well played. I hope it’s a Callaway pic.twitter.com/qWuXsGVC6z
— Phil Mickelson (@PhilMickelson) August 22, 2018
Oh, it’s definitely on.
Twitter users joined in with friendly fire tweets of their own.
Phils 1 up thru 0.
— Robert Emerson (@PukkaE) August 22, 2018
— Matthew Jackson (@Mjackson1224) August 22, 2018
Left handed driver? No wonder he’s been struggling a bit with hitting fairways! 😝
— Witty Designer (@DesignWitty) August 22, 2018
Finally Phil coming in clutch with the tweets!
— Carson Joens (@CarsonJoens) August 22, 2018
Am I understanding this correctly that these two are going to trash talking, making prop bets, etc like a home game? Is this a dream?
— 3Hour Golf (@paceofplayindex) August 23, 2018
— Will Exline (@WExline) August 22, 2018
Boom! pic.twitter.com/RZA0OmiVrd
— Adam Jackson (@action517) August 22, 2018
https://twitter.com/mattbrown7/status/1032387764681994251
https://twitter.com/sal139/status/1032387014727938049
Turner Sports will produce the telecast of the event on Friday, Nov. 23, at Shadow Creek Golf Course in Las Vegas. The winner will walk home away with $9 million, but probably more importantly, bragging rights.
H/T Washington Post