'Nobody does kind of slightly overweight middle-aged guy better than me' - Phil Mickelson explains why he wears button-up shirts while playing
- Phil Mickelson is turning heads with his long-sleeved look at the Players Championship.
- Mickelson's new, somewhat overly professional look on the course is the result of his latest partnership with Mizzen+Main.
- The brand specializes in dress shirts made from performance fabrics, and Mickelson reportedly received a stake in the company as a part of his deal.
Phil Mickelson has never been one to stir the pot when it comes to fashion on the golf course. While some other athletes indulge in bright, popping colors, or a traditional Sunday look, Mickelson has been one to play it safe when it comes to what he wears to walk the course.
But that trend has changed in the past few weeks, as Mickelson has been raising eyebrows while wearing long sleeve dress shirts as he competes against the best golfers in the world. The long sleeves first appeared during a practice round at the Masters, and on Thursday Mickelson decided to break them out yet again for the first round of the 2018 Players Championship.
The shirt is made by Mickelson's new sponsor Mizzen+Main, a brand that specializes in creating dress shirts out of comfortable and functional performance fabrics.
Mickelson has been light-hearted and on-brand about the gibes his new look has brought him. "I think nobody does kind of slightly overweight middle-aged guy better than me, and this says exactly who I am," said Mickelson. "It says that if you can play golf at the highest level, imagine how comfortable it is in the office."
Mickelson's deal is a solid one - he's earned an undisclosed stake in the company as well as cash for joining the Mizzen+Main brand, according to ESPN. Founder Kevin Lavelle sounded especially excited about the growth potential of the partnership.
"Phil is one of the most well-known golfers of all time and loved by virtually every fan in golf," Lavelle said. "Having someone at this level demonstrate so clearly the performance capabilities of our dress shirts while competing is absolutely phenomenal."
Mizzen+Main is just the latest addition to Mickelson's already impressive roster of sponsors, which includes KPMG, Callaway, Workday, and Rolex.