Phil Mickelson: 2018 will finally be his year at the U.S. Open
Phil Mickelson has done everything there is to do on the PGA TOUR – almost. Will 2018 be the year he finally breaks the U.S. Open curse?
Phil Mickelson is golf royalty. To call him a living legend might be an understatement. For 25 years, he’s remained firmly among the sport’s elite ranks. His resume boasts 42 PGA TOUR wins and five major championships. Four and a half years ago, in May of 2012, “Lefty” was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame.
You could just about call that a career, right? Not so much. There’s still one piece missing from this puzzle, and that’s the elusive U.S. Open.
The history is well-documented at this point, of course. Mickelson ran neck and neck with Tiger Woods in the late 90’s and first decade of the 2000’s. While so many seemed to crumble under the pressure of competing with Woods, Mickelson thrived. Woods had one of the greatest years ever in 2000, winning nine tournaments and three majors. Lefty hung right along, with four wins of his own, and a pair of major top-tens.
While Mickelson may one day be remembered as the second-best player of his generation – and crossing into at least two others, so far – the arrival of summer has always turned out to be bittersweet.
2018 will be Phil Mickelson’s last best shot at the U.S. Open
Why am I so confident, then, that 2018 will be the year that Phil Mickelson bucks history and finally completes the long sought after career Grand Slam? There are a few reasons, and they’re a bit more simple than you might think.
First, frankly, is reality. Mickelson is 47 years old, and he’ll turn 48 on Saturday of this year’s second major. The oldest winner in that tournament’s history is Hale Irwin, who won it in 1990 at age 45. In a legendary battle at Medinah, Irwin came back from four shots down entering the final round to force an 18-hole playoff with Mike Donald. When both players shot matching 74’s on Monday, Irwin triumphed on the first hole of sudden death. It remains one of the greatest duels in U.S. Open history today.
The low amateur that week? A 20-year-old from Arizona State who would go on to become one of the all-time greats.
Which brings us to the second point. Mickelson contends that he can keep going at this elite level for years to come, but as they say, Father Time is undefeated. The window for a major championship may not be closed, but the draft is diminishing with each passing year.
Mickelson has unfinished business at Shinnecock
This June, the U.S. Open will be held at Shinnecock Hills in New York, where he’ll get a chance to avenge arguably the most heartbreaking week of his storied career.
14 years ago, Lefty was flying high, just two months removed from his breakthrough win at the Masters. So were his fans, who wildly cheered him on through what looked to be another charmed major run. That is, for 70 holes at least.
The image of Mickelson three-putting from inside five feet on the par-3 17th hole is one that won’t fade anytime soon, from our memories or from Mickelson’s. But if Phil finds himself again this year, as he very well might, that could be the difference maker on Father’s Day this year.
That one’s not enough for you? Let’s go back nine years to 1995. A 25-year-old Lefty was playing his fifth U.S. Open, and his third as a pro. Through 54 holes, he was right in the mix, just a shot back of leaders Tom Lehman and Greg Norman. A Sunday 74 took him out of contention, but he still finished tied for fourth place, his fourth career top-ten in a major. He’s got 38 now, for reference.
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Predicting any major championship – especially six months in advance – is incredibly difficult. But given Mickelson’s drive, his wealth of experience, and the poetic ending that just seems impossible for Phil not to enjoy, and you’ve got the makings of something truly legendary in the works.