Josh Allen may be best known for slinging touchdowns, but he recently added a new highlight to his off-field reel- one that left golf legend Phil Mickelson scratching his head.
During a friendly but competitive round at La Jolla Country Club in San Diego, the Buffalo Bills quarterback played a sneaky trick that briefly gave him and teammate Jon Rahm a much-needed edge.
In a special episode of YouTube golfer Grant Horvat’s “2 vs. 2” series, Allen teamed up with Rahm to take on Horvat and Mickelson. The match was lighthearted but featured serious golf, with the players relying on rangefinders to guide their shots. That’s where Allen saw an opening—and made his move.
At one point during the round, Allen managed to snag Mickelson’s rangefinder and quietly switched the unit from yards to meters.
On paper, that’s a minor tweak. But in golf, even a few inches can be the difference between sticking a shot or coming up short. Allen knew that. And sure enough, both Mickelson and Horvat misjudged their distances on the next hole, leaving their approach shots shy of the green.
Despite the prank and the early deficit, Mickelson and Horvat rallied on the back nine. The match went to a two-hole playoff, where they clinched the win. Horvat also walked away with more than just bragging rights, as Mickelson gifted him a stake in his wellness brand “For Wellness” after the round.
Allen, who carries a 3.5 handicap and plays regularly near his California beach house during the offseason, more than held his own despite being the only non-golf pro in the group. While the scoreboard didn’t favor him in the end, his quick thinking and sense of humor stole the limelight.
And next time Mickelson picks up his rangefinder, he might double-check the settings- just in case Allen’s around.
