It's strictly superior from a "can you pronounce words" standpoint, but not necessarily in terms of a "long-term reader" standpoint. As another "whole words" person who pronounced the 'b' in 'subtle' until he was in like 5th/6th grade, I can tell you I was reading and comprehending things that my peers in the "gifted" program were not and could not, and that continued... probably to the present day but definitely through my school age years.
And there's evidence that the focus on phonics essentially kills a love of reading and has a deleterious effect on long-term reading skills [0].
And there's evidence that the focus on phonics essentially kills a love of reading and has a deleterious effect on long-term reading skills [0].
[0]: https://bera-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.10...