Phil Mickelson Parts Ways with Butch Harmon

As reported last night by Tim Rosaforte, Phil Mickelson flew to Las Vegas last week to personally let Butch Harmon know that he would no longer be employing him as his swing coach.

The two began working together in 2007, winning 12 PGA TOUR events along the way, including the 2007 Players Championship, the 2010 Masters, and 2013 Open Championship.

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“Helping him win the Open Championship in 2013 was one of the pinnacles of my career,” Harmon said, “We’re great friends and always will be.”

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The 2013 Open is also the last time Phil Mickelson won a tournament, likely contributing to Phil’s need to look for a different perspective—and Butch saw it coming.

“He flew up on his plane last week to sit down and talk,” Harmon said on Wednesday night.

“I completely agreed that sometimes you need to hear things a different way, get a different perspective on things.  I thought it was a good idea that he would do this.  He needs to hear things differently that maybe get him rejuvenated and get him back to what we all know he can be.”

The 72-year-old Butch Harmon still has Rickie Fowler, Dustin Johnson, and Jimmy Walker under his coaching umbrella.

Meanwhile, it is already being reported by GolfDigest.com that Mickelson will be hiring Andrew Getson as his next swing coach.  The two of them have been working together since the Mickelson/Harmon break-up last week.

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Getson is currently a golf instructor at Greyhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona.  He was once a promising pro himself, playing around the world on several tours before becoming an instructor in 2009.

Cover Photo via @MickelsonHat Twitter