Phil Mickelson and Bryson DeChambeau are close. From filming for YouTube to openly praising each other, their bond has never gone unnoticed. Despite this, Lefty didn’t find a place in the 2x US Open winner’s list of golfers symbolizing lasting significance and greatness.

“…Bobby Jones, Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, and the last one’s just so brutal to decide on,” DeChambeau told Flushing It Golf as he pondered his Mount Rushmore of golf. “I love Gary Player. I love Phil Mickelson. But I think I have to give it to Arnold Palmer.”

On paper, the two are kind of the same. Lefty has 6 major championships (the last one coming at the age of 50), and Palmer has 7. The LIV golfer has 45 PGA Tour wins; the King has 62. Palmer holds the record for the highest Ryder Cup win percentage by an American (71%), and Mickelson counters that with how no American has played more Ryder Cups than his 12. Yet, Palmer’s influence is not just about raw numbers.

Palmer turned golf into a mass-market sport at a time when television was booming. He paved the way for athlete branding, endorsements, and an aggressive open shirt button style that pulled fans to every gallery he teed off in, but, as one would argue, Lefty stained his legacy by moving to LIV in 2022.

Yet, one aspect that still makes DeChambeau’s answer jarring is the relationship they share. The two have often spoken about each other. DeChambeau has called Mickelson “an entertainer.” Mickelson, for his part, has admitted learning “a lot” from the 2x US Open winner. While their time together at LIV might have solidified the relationship, the seeds were sown long ago.

In 2016, after playing with DeChambeau for the first time, Mickelson was very impressed. He said that he really enjoys spending time with Bryson because he looks at the game from such a different point of view and has such well-thought-out opinions on how it should be played a certain way. The 6x major winner called him a “terrific player” and noted that “he’s fun to be around.”

Then, at the 2018 Ryder Cup, debutant DeChambeau found himself in a spot when Mickelson asked him for some encouragement. The incident stood in stark contrast with how Woods treated DeChambeau in the very same match.

After being in LIV together, they have gotten closer. They filmed an episode of Break 50 together and have often praised each other on X. Lefty was very happy when DeChambeau shot 58 in Greenbrier and called it an “incredible round.” He also called Bryson a “STALLION” when he won his second US Open, noting that no one works harder, deserves it more, and is more fun to watch than him.

In fact, when Lefty made a heroic flop shot at LIV Virginia in Sunday’s final round on par-4 17th, it took DeChambeau by surprise. He called it “one of the greatest shots I’ve ever seen.” However, this is not the first time DeChambeau has somewhat snubbed Mickelson with his remarks. Back in 2024, he noted that although Lefty is the most knowledgeable man when it comes to wedging and hitting around the greens, Tiger is the one who taught him a lot about putting, shot shaping, and controlling distance. These little tips of information didn’t always come directly from Woods, but rather by looking at him closely.

As for the rest of the names, they are almost unassailable. Bobby Jones remains the most dominant amateur golf player that the sport has ever seen. He won 13 majors, and Jack Nicklaus set the standard by winning 18.

Questioning Bryson DeChambeau for his response shouldn’t be fair, considering how other players have answered similar questions.

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We know Bryson DeChambeau’s Mt. Rushmore; who are others’?

When Phil Mickelson was himself faced with such a choice, he unhesitatingly named Tiger Woods as “the greatest of all time.” For Mickelson, Woods’s 2000 performance will always be “beyond description.” But what’s interesting is how Lefty has never positioned himself in such conversations. He was humble enough to credit Woods for a more dominant career.

Jack Nicklaus was asked to name his three in 2024. His answer included the names Bobby Jones, Ben Hogan, and Woods. Similarly, Woods has included himself on this list along with Sam Snead, Jones, and Nicklaus. Even Gary Player has added himself to the list, citing his nine major championships and 165 worldwide professional wins.