Phil Mickelson’s PGA Championship win on Sunday made him the oldest player in history to win the major tournament, at the age of 50 — but his success, he admits, didn’t come easy.
A diet overhaul and fasting receive part praise, with the pro golfer detailing his new way of fuelling means he has to watch what he eats on a daily basis.
“I’ve got to eat a lot less and I’ve got to eat better. I just can’t eat as much and I have to let my body recover,” he said, in his post-win press conference after recording a two-shot victory to claim his sixth major title.
“But it’s also been a blessing for me because I feel better and I don’t have inflammation and I wake up feeling good.
“It’s been a sacrifice worth making.”
In 2019, following a less-than-desirable run of results on the course, Mickelson broke a social media hiatus to let his fans know that his absence was a result of needing a “hard reset”.
“I haven’t posted anything because I haven’t felt good about myself and the way I’ve been playing, and so I haven’t done anything or wanted to be in public,” he said in a video shared to Instagram and Twitter ahead of the 2019 British Open.
“The last 10 days I’ve done what I call a hard reset, to change and try to make things better. I have lost 15 pounds [6.8kg]. I’ve done a six-day fast with water and a special coffee blend for wellness that I’ve been working on with Dave Phillips, and went on a bit of a retreat.
“I don’t know if it’s gonna help me play better or not, but I’m willing to do whatever it takes to try to get my best back.”
So what was in this “special coffee blend for wellness” that Mickelson was sipping on during his six-day fast…
READ MORE: NBA star Ben Simmons’ impressive day on a plate
Phil Mickelson’s ‘special coffee blend’ ingredients
350-450 grams of coffee (Ethiopian beans)
Two to three tbsp. MCT or XCT oil
Large scoop flavourless collagen protein powder
Dash of Himalayan pink sea salt
Small glass of almond milk
200 mg L-Theanine
One tbsp. Manuka honey
One tsp. cinnamon
(As shared by Mickelson with golf.com)
With medium-chain triglycerides (MCT) to help your body achieve ketosis and burn fat for energy, protein powder for muscle recovery, L-Theanine to counter balance the caffeine and “promote an alert state of relaxation”, this ‘smoothie’ isn’t for everyone.
Consult your doctor or a health care professional before undertaking any form of fasting.