OAKMONT, PA. It’s been said all good things must come to an end. For Phil Mickelson a direct ticket to the US Open championship has been on his schedule plate 34 times counting his appearance this week at the 125th event at Oakmont.
The six-time major winner has finished runner-up a record six times in the championship.
The close calls have occurred in various ways. In some he was outplayed, and in others, poor decision-making and faulty shot execution were to blame.
Mickelson has been ever resilient in his career – at 43 he won The Open Championship at Muirfield. Then just a month short of his 51st birthday he became the first golfer to win a major at age 50 or beyond in capturing the PGA Championship at Kiawah.
Mickelson’s five-year exemption from winning the 2021 PGA expires after this year’s US Open. Unless he has a high finish this week at Oakmont the lone recourse for him to secure a spot in the 2026 event at Shinnecock Hills, besides being granted a special exemption by the USGA which he received in 2020, will only be through sectional qualifying.
The USGA during its annual pre-championship press conference Wednesday was asked if a special exemption would be granted to Mickelson for the ’26 event and the answer was non-committal.
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1999 / Pinehurst No. 2 / North Carolina
Mickelson was in the final pairing with Payne Stewart and going into the final round he trailed by two shots. The contest between the two was a back-and-forth tussle. Stewart seized the moment with three magical putts — one for par at the 16th and then a birdie putt at the par-3 17th. Stewart ended his round by sinking a 15-foot par putt to claim the title by one over Mickelson.
Before leaving the green, Stewart placed his hands on Mickelson’s face and wished him well saying, ” “Good luck with the baby; there’s nothing like being a father,” The next day Mickelson and wife Amy welcomed their first child — Amanda Brynn Mickelson.
2002 / Bethpage Black / New York
Mickelson trailed eventual winner Tiger Woods by five shots going into the final round and could never narrow the gap. Mickelson was cheered on by the Long Island golf fans but the final margin saw him finish 3 shots behind and solo second.
The 2002 US Open was the first played on a taxpayer-supported facility.
2004 / Shinnecock Hills / New York
Retief Goosen cemented his second US Open, edging out Phil Mickelson by two shots with a closing 71 (+1) on Sunday to finish at four-under 276. Conditions were brutal on the final day when the average final-round score was 78.7 and no one was under par.
Mickelson, urged on by raucous New York galleries on a windswept sunny afternoon, completed a matching 71 for his third runner-up spot in the last six US Opens. Goosen led by two going into the final day, but was overtaken by Mickelson in the closing stretch, with back-to-back birdies on 15 and 16.
However, Mickelson, bidding to become the sixth player to win the first two majors of the year, immediately fell back with a double-bogey at the par-three 17th, three-putting from five feet. In the final pair with compatriot Ernie Els, Goosen restored his two-shot advantage with a twelve-foot (3.7 m) birdie putt on 16 and parred the final two holes to seal the title.
2006 / Winged Foot West / New York
Of all the runner-up finishes Mickelson suffered in the US Open, his failure on the final hole during the fourth round was nothing less than devastating.
Mickelson battled gamely in trying to curb a wayward driver for much of the round. When he arrived at the final hole the scene was set – a par would claim the title and a bogey would necessitate a playoff with Australian Geoff Ogilvy.
Mickelson boldly selected his drive and the tee shot went so far left to ricochet off an adjoining hospitality tent. He then opted to play a high-risk recovery and his 3-iron hit nearby trees and advanced no more than 25 yards. Mickelson would end his round with a crushing double-bogey six.
After the round Mickelson said it plainly and directly — “I’m such an idiot.”
2009 / Bethpage Black / New York
In his return appearance to Long Island, Mickelson trailed by six going into the final round but when he eagled the par-5 13th he joined a share of the lead with eventual winner Lucas Glover.
Unfortunately, two late bogies – at the 15th and 17th holes pushed him into a joint runner-up finish with David Duval and Ricky Barnes.
2013 / Merion East / Pennsylvania
For the first time in 32 years the USGA returned to the historic Philadelphia-based club and Mickelson was right in the middle of matters during the final round. After eagling the short par-4 10th, he was in a joint tie of the lead with Englishman Justin Rose as late as the 12th.
Unfortunately, Mickelson would airmail the short par-3 13th and suffer a bogey. Two additional bogies would follow at the 15th and 18th and he would share the runner-up position with Australian Jason Day.
The good news for Mickelson came in rebounding with the next major championship at The Open at Muirfield. Lefty scored a final round 66 — aided by a spectacular 3-metal club in reaching the par-5 17th in two shots producing a birdie and capping the round with an ending birdie at the 18th. Mickelson would claim the famed Claret Jug in an event few believed he had the needed golf shots to do so.
