SECOND NATURE
Mickelson knows time running out to Phil in blank on résumé — and he’s OK with that
Phil Mickelson isn’t afraid. This, after all, is a trademark of his greatness.
It’s what has helped him win 43 tournaments in the heart of the Tiger Woods era of dominance.
It’s what finally brought him the first of his five career major championships in 2004, when he was saddled with the pressure of being the poster child for “the best player never to win a major’’ and finally captured the first of his three Masters green jackets.
So Mickelson is not afraid of the possibility that, with the rare opportunity to become one of only six players in the history of golf to win a career Grand Slam, he falls one tournament short — without a U.S. Open victory, the only missing link to one of the greatest careers ever authored in golf.
He has finished runner-up in the U.S. Open six times and, in light moments, Mickelson will joke that, in his mind, the six second-place f inishes equal at least one or two wins. The history books, of course, don’t (and won’t) view it that way.
Mickelson, who will turn 48 Saturday, is keenly aware that his window to win a U.S. Open is closing before his eyes. But he’s not afraid of that and he doesn’t shy away from the reality.
“Oh, I know that these next two or three years are my best chances to win a U.S. Open,’’ Mickelson told The Post. “Look, if I don’t do it in these next two or three years, it’s probably not going to happen … it most likely won’t happen.’’
Mickelson’s pursuit to join Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Gary Player, Ben Hogan and Gene Sarazen as the only players to have hoisted all four major championship trophies continues this week at Shinnecock, where he’s had chances to win the previous two times the U.S. Open was played there.
Mickelson f inished tied for fourth in 1995 at Shinnecock, where the 16th hole proved to be his doom, playing the par-5 in 6-over that week. In 2004, he finished second to Retief Goosen thanks to a bad-break double bogey on the 17th hole in the final round.
After Shinnecock, the 2019 U.S. Open will be played at Pebble Beach, where Mickelson finished tied for fourth in 2010, the last time it was played there. Then comes 2020, when the U.S. Open will be played at Winged Foot, where Mickelson famously finished runner-up in 2006 after making a mess of the 72nd hole. His Winged Foot heartache is one of four New York runner-up f inishes, along with Shinnecock and twice at Bethpage (to Lucas Glover in 2009 and Tiger Woods in 2002).
“These three [this week, next year and 2020] are going to be really good chances for me, because I’ve played those Open courses a number of times and played them well,’’ Mickelson said. “But when I look at it like that, it adds pressure on me and it makes [winning] even tougher. So it’s a tough balance.’’
What if it doesn’t happen this week, next June, the June after that or any June?
Because he wants it so badly, the obvious question is whether it will gnaw at Mickelson for the rest of his life?
“It probably won’t,’’ he said. “I just feel like this is an opportunity for me to do something that has only been achieved by a few players in the game and I have an opportunity in the next couple of years to do something special. If I don’t, I don’t. But if I have the opportunity I want to take advantage of it.’’
What would a career Grand Slam mean for a career that’s still going strong — and includes a win this year at the WGC-Mexico Championship — yet already has him inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame?
“Those are the greatest players in the game, the six guys that have won all four,’’ Mickelson said.
When reminded that it’s only five players, he said with a smile, “I guess I’m jumping ahead.’’
Asked to succinctly characterize his history in the U.S. Open, Mickelson did not wait long to answer.
“Roller coaster,’’ he said. “Who would have thought that, with the way I play, I would do well at U.S. Opens and have six seconds and played some of my best golf at them?’’
In 1995, it was the par-5 16th hole that did Mickelson in at Shinnecock.
“I played that 16th hole in 6-over par for four days, otherwise I would have won by two or three [shots],’’ Mickelson said.
In 2004, it was the double bogey on the par-3 17th hole in the final round after he’d just taken a oneshot lead. Mickelson hit his tee shot into the left bunker, splashed the second shot 6 feet past the hole and three-putted for the most devastating five he’s made in his career.
Mickelson always is first to call himself out for a poor shot and is never an excuse maker. Thus his bewildered quote after that loss: “I don’t really know what to say.’’
What he didn’t say then was the bad break few knew he’d encountered in that bunker on 17. Fourteen years later, he revealed, “There was a rock behind my ball in the sand — about a half-inch in diameter an inch behind my ball.’’
“I tried to hit behind it and the rock took all the spin off the ball,’’ Mickelson said. “It had overspin and the ball shot 6 feet by the hole in the one spot I couldn’t go — to a downhill, downwind putt. I rolled it 6 feet by and missed the next one, too.
“I should have won that one,’’ he went on. “That is the one I should have won more than any other. Given the difficulty of the course, I would say that I have not played better in a U.S. Open in my life.’’ Pause. “But that freaking rock … ,’’ he muttered.
“If I can’t win, I would absolutely, 100 percent love to see Phil win,’’ two-time major winner Zach Johnson said. “I think a lot of guys would, honestly. Is it going to sway his legacy? I would say no. He’s already one of the best players ever to play the game. I would just like to see him win it because he’s been so close so many times. He’s been a great U.S. Open player.’’
Yet one without a trophy show for it.