He was accepted as a professional by the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) in 1981. At the 1982 Scottish Professional Championship, he lost 3–6 to Eddie Sinclair, and his first qualifying round match at the 1982 World Snooker Championship resulted in a 3–9 defeat by Paul Medati. He withdrew from the 1982 Bass and Golden Leisure Classic, the 1982 International Open, the 1982 Professional Players Tournament, and the 1982 UK Championship, before resigning his membership of the WPBSA in 1983. Phillips was known for the high quality of his safety play. He died in 2008, aged 72.