At the US Open on Thursday, Phil Mickelson had a day to forget as Pinehurst No. 2 took the lives of several well-known golfers, and the LIV Golf star’s “dream” quickly faded.
Phil Mickelson’s “dreams” of winning the US Open are quickly dissipating as the LIV Golf star placed nearly last in the field at Pinehurst No. 2 after his opening round.
Despite six runner-up finishes and some excruciating close misses over his career, the six-time major champion in his national open has failed to achieve glory. With only 53 years old, Lefty’s chances of completing the career grand slam are rapidly dwindling.
The 45-time champion of the PGA Tour is still hopeful about winning the US Open Championship Trophy before ending his professional career. “Winning the US Open has been a lifetime and elusive dream, and I’ve come close so many times,” he stated in 2021.
You must participate in order to win.” However, following a horrific nine-over-par first round in North Carolina on Thursday, which left him tied for 146th place out of 156 players, his aspirations are dead for another year.
Mickelson, who has not won since winning the PGA Championship at Kiawah Island three years ago, shot nine bogeys on Friday, including his first four holes of the competition. He was unable to record a single birdie.
With 14 strokes separating him from leaders Rory McIlroy and Patrick Cantlay at the beginning of the day, Mickelson will have to work hard simply to make the cut on Friday. However, he wasn’t the only player on Thursday who was exposed by Pinehurst No. 2’s difficulty.
Following his reunion with swing instructor Joe Mayo, Viktor Hovland has been steadily gaining form and was much favored to compete this week. He was third at the PGA Championship last month. However, the Norwegian had a terrible day, finishing in a tie for 139th place with an eight-over-par round of 78 that included six bogeys and two doubles.
Justin Thomas also eliminated himself from contention very rapidly. After making three bogeys in his first four holes, the two-time major champion’s round went out of hand and he ended up tied for 130th place at seven over par. After losing in seven overs, Sahith Theegala, ranked eleventh in the world, still has a lot of work to do to qualify.
But because Mickelson is nearing the end of his career and is aware that he has little longer to live, the anguish of losing the first round will be especially felt by him. In the back of his mind, he has a lot of bad memories from this competition.
The most problematic was probably the 2006 tournament at Winged Foot, where he lost to Geoff Ogilvy in an 18-hole playoff after blowing a one-shot lead at the final hole. He remarked at the time, “I just can’t believe I did that.” “I really am such a fool.”
A difficult past awaits Mickelson at Pinehurst, where in 1999 he lost by a single shot to Payne Stewart, who recorded one of the most iconic major victories of the 20th century.
In an attempt to secure a spot to play over the weekend, Mickelson will return to the course on Friday at 6.36 p.m. BST.
