5-Chloro-2-Methylphenol vs 2-Chloro-5-Methylbenzene?
The two compound names that you are asking about refer to different compounds. Phenol is numbered as follows:



The structures of 2-chloro-5-methylphenol and 5-chloro-2-methyl phenol are below.



Perhaps you were confused about the 2,6 or 3,5 isomers? In this case, the chloro- substituent should get the lower locant number because it is alphabetically first.