PGA Championship winner Phil Mickelson has credited Kiwi Lydia Ko as the "inspiration" behind his drought-ending victory, after becoming the oldest player to win a Major title on Monday (NZ time).
Mickelson, 50, ended a streak of more than two years without a win on the PGA tour, claiming a final day victory by two shots in South Carolina.
And speaking ahead of the Charles Schwab Challenge in Texas, Mickelson hailed the example of Ko, who went three years without victory before winning the Lotte Championship in Hawaii in April.
"I think that every player goes through challenges," Mickelson said.
"We saw it on the LPGA Tour with Lydia Ko after struggling for a little while and dominating and then struggling a little bit.
"For her to come back and play as well as she has, that's an inspiration."
Ko is currently on a break from golf, skipping the Pure Silk Championship in Virginia and a Las Vegas matchplay event in order to prepare for the LPGA's US Open in San Francisco.
"It's been a long stretch of events, so I'm looking forward to taking three weeks off and getting ready for the next stretch," Ko said earlier this month.
Ko will hope to win her first Major since 2016 at the US Open, with her last triumph coming at the 2016 ANA Inspiration.
The LPGA's US Open will be held from June 3-6 at San Francisco's Lake Course.
