Phil Mickelson has generated plenty of attention on the fairways of Royal Troon this week. 

Not so much for his golf, it must be stressed, though he has battled admirably to make the cut in an brutal week that has claimed so many big-hitting victims.

It was actually Mickelson’s odd choice of attire on his return to Ayrshire that has raised the most eyebrows. That’s because a 54-year-old man spent Friday morning playing golf’s oldest tournament in a pair of joggers. Make of that what you will.

Thankfully, it turns out, there was at least an explanation.

Mickelson had – unironically – lost a bet to the popular YouTube golfer Grant Horvat in a match – and sporting those questionable ankle-cuffed pants was the forfeit.

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The asterisk was that Horvat – a formerly very capable college golfer – had a five-stroke head start against the six-time major champ in a challenge that has been seen almost two million times on social media.

As strange as it may sound, though, there is actually a deeper point to be made about Mickelson’s pants here.

The joggers, as ridiculous as they may look, are actually the conduit between the bubble of professional golf that Mickelson has graced for more than 30 years and the new world he is now entering.

Mickelson wore some striking “golf joggers” during his second round (Credit: Getty Images)

Not too long ago, Mickelson was the game’s great pariah. Some will never forgive and forget his role as the fire-starter at the epicentre of golf’s ongoing divide and his legacy is a complicated one.

But as he continues to battle his fading career, Mickelson is also consciously embracing a new realm of golf content creation. Like LIV Golf’s resident “Content King” Bryson DeChambeau, Mickelson now has his own YouTube channel and is also connecting with other influencers with big platforms of their own. Here, he can control the narrative and expose himself to new audiences.

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“I am enjoying that,” Mickelson told bunkered after carding a one-over 72 in Saturday’s third round. “I’m enjoying the fact that we’re able to do that now, certain guys at least, and I enjoy that element of it.

“What Grant Horvat has done is create a whole different market for golf in that you can have a career in the game and not even play professionally.

“He’s very charismatic and attracts players that are a lot younger that wouldn’t maybe be exposed to the game in a whole different way than the normal medias that we have used in the game of golf, YouTube and stuff, and they’re now part of it.

“He’s transcending into that market. I think it’s brilliant. Bryson is doing the same thing. I’ll dabble. It’s not like I’m going to do it full-time like these guys because I have other things I enjoy doing, and I’ll dabble in it, and it’s fun. It’s enjoyable. The impact of it is what has really opened my eyes. I’m constantly surprised at how impactful it is.”

And a quick spoiler alert: Mickelson has confirmed we’ll be seeing the joggers again on Sunday, claiming that they’re perfect for the links.

“I actually really like them,” he smiled. “Especially out here where the wind is blowing and my pants are getting caught on the socks, whatever, they’re not. I really do like them.”