Family comes before the Grand Slam for Mickelson
PHIL MICKELSON has surprised many people with his decision to pull out of the US Open. But I admire him for it.
To skip a Major is not something you do lightly. But it’s obvious that attending the high school graduation of his oldest daughter, Amanda, is a big deal for the Mickelson family.
The fact that his daughter is the head girl and will have to make a speech underlines that it’s a special day for them.
Mickelson is showing that despite being an incredible golfer, his family will always come first.
That was the case when his wife, Amy, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2009 and he immediately withdrew from tournament golf.
Phil’s name is still on the drawsheet for a 2.20pm start on Thursday, but I don’t expect to see him at Erin Hills. He can’t be in two places at once.
The event is losing one of its star attractions and its best storylines. We all want to see the American win this championship after six runners-up finishes and to complete his career Grand Slam.
But I don’t think this is the end of Phil’s chances at the US Open.
He will be thinking about going to Shinnecock Hills next year, where he was second to Retief Goosen in 2004, and at 48, becoming the oldest winner of a Major since Julius Boros.
What he has done is shed light on something that affects every single professional golfer.
Virtually all of us are family men. Golf can be a selfish game, and we have to sacrifice a lot and are away from home so often.
There were plenty of times I regretted not being around more. I missed prizegivings or was not around as much to pick up or take my children to school.
You try as hard as possible to have a normal life, but my priority was having to go and play golf to support my family.
I always remember being at an event with the former Open Champion, Johnny Miller.
He broke down while giving a speech as he said the biggest regret of being a champion golfer was missing his children grow up.
That’s a feeling we have all had at some point. So I can fully understand Phil’s decision as this is his daughter’s big day.
But while I can support his decision to stand down from the US Open, I am very surprised by his withdrawal from the Scottish Open.
This is a formula that has worked so well for him in recent years. Who can forget him winning at Castle Stuart and Muirfield in 2013?
And playing in it last year was perfect preparation for his titanic duel with Henrik Stenson the week after at Royal Troon.
The Scottish Open is moving to Dundonald Links and Phil has said that it’s too difficult for him to get used to a new course and prepare for The Open at Royal Birkdale.
The course is obviously not irrelevant, but the vital thing is to practise playing in the wind and putting on links greens.
He may regret not coming to Scotland, because I think Mickelson is really harming his chances of doing well in The Open.