Phil Mickelson joins Arizona State staff as interim assistant coach to brother Tim

Phil Mickelson’s off-season job as interim assistant coach for the Arizona State golf team has his brother Tim walking on air.

“To share the Arizona State experience with my brother is a dream come true for our family, as he will be able to help in many ways as an official member of the Sun Devil staff,” Tim Mickelson said on Wednesday about his renowned sibling’s new role with the school for which Lefty won 16 collegiate tourneys, including three NCAA individual championships.

Phil-o-philes need not worry about the five-time major champion quitting his day job any time soon; Tom Watson’s nemesis is just helping out while the school seeks a permanent right-hand man for coach Tim, who has been without an assistant since Joe Prince left last month.

The PGA Tour member of the family last played competitively for the losing U.S. Ryder Cup team in September and will likely return to his own game in January. Until then, Phil will assume duties such as courting potential ASU golfers, as he did when he called Ryan Ruffels, a leading Australian junior player.

“I was out here putting and I got this call from an international number and I jumped on the phone and he said, ‘Hey, it’s Phil Mickelson,’” Ruffels told the Sydney Morning Herald last week. “I thought one of my mates from school was giving me a prank call.”

Under NCAA rules, assistant coach Mickelson -- but not ASU alumnus Mickelson -- may recruit prospective Sun Devils and practice with the team.

Tim Mickelson is in his fourth season as head coach of the squad that won the NCAA team title in 1990 during his brother’s four-year college career.