Phillip Price
A steady Welsh golfer who authored one of the great Ryder Cup upsets, defeating world number one Phil Mickelson in a career-defining moment.
Born 1966 (age 60)·Welsh professional golfer·Birthday: October 21·Generation X
Biography
Phillip Price built a solid, workmanlike career on the European Tour, a reliable professional known for his crisp ball-striking rather than flashy theatrics. With three tour wins over a decade, he was respected but seldom in the global spotlight. That all changed during the 2002 Ryder Cup at The Belfry. With the contest poised on a knife-edge, the unheralded Price was sent out against the reigning Masters champion and world number one, Phil Mickelson. In a display of nerveless precision, Price outplayed the American superstar, clinching a decisive 3&2 victory that sent the European crowd into a frenzy and became a cornerstone of their eventual triumph. That single match immortalized him in Ryder Cup lore. In the years since, he has continued to compete, transitioning smoothly to the senior tours, forever remembered as the quiet man who delivered a seismic shock on golf's most pressurized stage.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Phillip was born in 1966, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Phillip Was Born
The biggest hits of 1966
#1 Movie
The Bible: In the Beginning
Best Picture
A Man for All Seasons
#1 TV Show
Bonanza
Phillip's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1966Born
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1971Started school
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1979Became a teenager
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1982Could drive
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1984Could vote
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1987Turned 21
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1996Turned 30
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 40
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 50
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 60
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Defeated world number one Phil Mickelson in a pivotal singles match at the 2002 Ryder Cup, which Europe went on to win.
- Won three European Tour events: the 1994 Portuguese Open, the 2000 Italian Open, and the 2003 Smurfit European Open.
- Represented Europe in the 2000 and 2002 Alfred Dunhill Cup tournaments for Wales.
- Has won multiple times on the European Senior Tour after turning 50.
Did You Know?
He was a talented amateur cricketer, playing for the Glamorgan Second XI before focusing on golf.
His victory over Phil Mickelson was ranked as one of the greatest upsets in Ryder Cup history.
He is known for using a long putter (a broomhandle putter) for much of his career.
He studied accountancy before deciding to pursue professional golf full-time.
“I knew I could beat him if I stuck to my own game.”
