A Special Occasion

Phil Mickelson left Oakmont, Pa., for San Diego by private jet to attend his daughter’s eighth-grade graduation. He’s expected back on Wednesday to play a practice round before the U.S. Open begins at Oakmont Country Club on Thursday.

Family should be good medicine for Mickelson. The U.S. Open rarely is.

Not that Mickelson plays poorly in the Open. He plays very well, for the most part. He just doesn’t win. Never has. It’s the only thing missing from his portfolio.

Nobody has finished in second place at this event more times than Mickelson (six). He was beaten by Payne Stewart (1999), Tiger Woods (2002), Retief Goosen (2004), Geoff Ogilvy (2006), Lucas Glover (2009) and Justin Rose (2013).

There’s little argument that 2006 at Winged Foot was his nadir. He led by one shot going to the 18th hole but an errant shot from the tee hit a corporate tent. Rather than playing his ball back into the fairway, he went for the green. That shot hit a tree. The next landed in a bunker. Then his putter failed him. He ended with a double bogey and the trophy got away.

His analysis: “I am such an idiot.”

Can he finally win the Open and complete a career grand slam? Depends on what you make of his last outing. He tied for second at the St. Jude Classic.
 
 
Post By: Larry Weisman, a longtime sportswriter for USA TODAY, blogs for Twistity.com. Follow him on Twitter @MrLarryWeisman