Phil Mickelson Will Play the U.S. Open.
In recent weeks Phil Mickelson said that he would skip the U.S. Open to attend his daughter’s graduation. Phil never officially withdrew from the U.S. Open to watch his daughter give her commencement speech. The golf world was unsuccessful in their attempt to petition the school to change the graduation from Thursday to Wednesday. Phil recently received a little bit of good news. He was able to draw the third-to-last tee time during the first round of the U.S. Open. That means Phil is scheduled to tee off at 2:20 pm Central Time. That will leave roughly 2 hours for Phil to watch her short speech, hop on his private jet and get to the Erin Hills for his tee time. This is still a long shot, but mother nature also appears to be on his side. Current forecasts are predicting scattered thunderstorms in the afternoon leaving the potential of a weather delay. Only time will tell, but if I believe that Phil Mickelson will play the U.S. Open.
Phil’s U.S. Open History
Phil Mickelson is a 5-time major champion. Unfortunately, Phil has not been able to claim victory at the U.S. Open. This is the only leg of golf’s grand slam that Phil has yet to win. Historically Phil has done well in this event accumulating 6 runner-up finishes. The most memorable of the 6 runner-up finishes took place at Pinehurst in 1999. Phil would lose to the legend, Payne Stewart, down the stretch. Payne would birdie 17 and bury an 18 foot par putt on the last hole to win by 1 over Phil. Phil had a plane on standby because his wife was expecting to deliver his daughter at any time. Amanda was born that Monday which would have been during a playoff had Payne missed that par putt on 18. I guess that 2nd place finish was meant to be. Payne Stewart would die 4 months later.
Phil would go on to finish 2nd 5 more times. Tiger Woods would win at Bethpage Black in 2002. Retief Goosen would go on to win by 2 strokes after Phil had a 3-putt on number 17 from 5 feet at Shinnecock Hills in 2004. Phil carried a 1-shot lead into 18 at Winged foot in 2006. Unfortunately, Phil would shank one off the tee and double bogey the last hole to lose to Geoff Ogilvy. Mickelson would falter at Bethpage Black again in 2009 as he fell to Lucas Glover down the stretch. Mickelson’s most recent 2nd place came at Merion Golf Club in 2013 where he would lose to Justin Rose.