Mickelson: I’m not going to win the U.S. Open
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Phil Mickelson says he’s come to the realisation that he’s probably never going to win the U.S. Open and complete the grand slam
When Phil Mickelson headed to Pebble Beach last week, he was going with with the opportunity to complete the career grand slam – his fifth time of trying.
The U.S Open is the last major he needs, and having been a six-time runner-up in the tournament and five time winner at Pebble Beach, it really felt like if there was ever a time he was going to do it, it would have been last week.
But after rounds of 72, 65, 75 and 72, Mickelson ended up tied for 54th on +4, which was 17 strokes behind eventual champion Gary Woodland.
When asked to summarise the week, Mickelson conceded that he doesn’t have many more chances to win the U.S Open, although he’ll certainly keep trying.
“I thought it was — look, it’s a great week for me because I have such emotions and family history there at Pebble Beach,” said Mickelson. “So many great experiences throughout my career.
“It was just a wonderful setup, tournament, competition. I’m appreciative of the opportunity, even though I didn’t play my best or didn’t win. I really don’t have many more chances. Probably have to come to the realisation I’m not going to win the U.S. Open, but I’m not going to stop trying. I’ll keep trying. You never know.
“I feel like, again, if I can play at that high level…
“Just haven’t been doing that week in and week out like they way I used to.”
But time is not the only thing that is no longer on his side: The U.S Open set-ups clearly don’t suit him like they used to. He recorded his sixth runner-up finish in 2013, the year he won The Open at Muirfield, but has since gone T28-T64-MC-T48-T52.
For Mickelson, part of that is that his game isn’t the same as it used to be, despite ending a five year winless drought at the WGC Mexico last year and adding the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am title to his list of accolades in February.
“So I certainly haven’t played at the same level of consistency week in and week out that I did back in my 20s and 30s,” Mickleson said. “When I play well, I’m able to play at a very comparable level to what I played back at the height of my career. I’m able to pick off wins like I did earlier this year at AT&T, last year at Mexico.
“Just not having as many opportunities, and so that’s been the hardest thing for me. Having energy levels and recovering and being focused for each shot in four rounds.
“Out here the difference is so small between winning and losing. It’s one shot here or there. That’s something I’ve been working on or that’s the challenge that I face.”
Next year, the U.S. Open heads back to Winged Foot, where Mickelson held a one-shot lead heading down the 18th in 2006 before a torrid double-bogey left him runner-up to Geoff Ogilvy.
