Phil Mickelson ended his fabled 0-for-46 streak in major golf tournaments by sinking a birdie put on the final hole of the 2004 Masters. The southpaw golfer's long-awaited win not only scored him an elusive green jacket, but also stands to net him millions of dollars in endorsement deals.
With a "major" monkey off his back, Mickelson's masterful win at Augusta will likely translate to even more green for a golfer no longer second best.
"He's not the lovable loser anymore," said Marc Ganis. "He's now the Masters champion and that makes a world of difference to the sponsor world."
Mickelson already owns what some estimate to be a $2 million-a-year deal with the Ford Motor Company to sell automobiles. Additionally, he has a $4 million-a-year contract to play Titleist clubs and to wear Footjoy shoes, as well as a long-term deal with Bearing Point — formerly known as KPMG Consultants.
But with a green jacket in his closet, and a persevering story behind him, experts say Mickelson will attract even more top-flite companies.
"He embodies what we like to think of ourselves ... the stick-to-it-ivness ... the grit and finally coming out on top through perseverance and effort ... so this is a story that has a lot of legs and sponsors are going to attach themselves to," Ganis said.
While most marketing experts say Mickelson will get some long-awaited opportunities, he still has a long way to go before he catches Tiger Woods, who reigns as golf's commercial king despite the fact that he's winless in his last seven majors.
Woods has monster deals with Nike, American Express and Buick, among others.
Shedding the title of "Best player never to win a major" will likely open a lot of doors that have thus far remained closed, says advertising executive and CNBC contributor Donny Deutsch.
"I kind of liken [Mickelson] to John Elway, who was a loveable guy ... who was the quintessential runner-up, and then once he won, really went into turbo in terms of his endorsements," Deutsch said. "I think the same thing is going to happen with Mickelson."
Bob Williams of Burns Sports Marketing, a company that pairs athletes and companies, says Mickelson will likely sign with a major bank, fast food restaurant, sports drink company or computer business — all sectors where he has no deals in place.