U.S. Open Preview: Phil Mickelson
After winning the 2010 Master’s Tournament, Phil Mickelson will be going for his second-straight major on June 17 at the US Open played at Pebble Beach Golf Links. Mickelson has yet to win the US Open but has finished second a record five times.
During Mickelson’s first eight years as a pro, he finished in the top ten at the US Open on two separate occasions. The 1999 US Open at Pinehurst was Mickelson’s first in the spotlight as a contender. He finished near the top of the leader board at the end of each round. He ended up losing by one stroke to Payne Stewart.
Mickelson would finish second again at the 2002 US Open at Bethpage. He shot an overall 280 for the tournament which placed him three strokes behind Tiger Woods.
In 2004, the US Open was held at Shinecock Hills Golf Club in Shinecock, New York. Mickelson would finish in second place behind South African Retief Goosen. On a day where brutal weather resulted in an average score of 78.7, Mickelson shot a 71 that left him two strokes behind Goosen.
Mickelson appeared to be headed for his first US Open victory in 2006 at Winged Foot before disaster struck on the final two holes. He was in first place going into the 17th hole but bogeyed to reduce his lead to one stroke. On the 18th hole, needing par for a one-stroke victory, Mickelson hit the ball left of the fairway. After a series of aggressive decisions, he ended up double bogeying the hole that moved him down to second place.
The 2009 US Open held at Bethpage was an emotional one for Mickelson. Prior to the tournament, he declared that it would be his last tournament before taking time off to tend to his wife Amy who had been diagnosed with breast cancer. Despite solid play and great fan support, he could not match Lucas Glover’s minus 4 and finished tied for second place.
