PHIL MELTDOWN COMES EARLY
All it took was about two cringeworthy minutes and four putts from 12 feet to bring the golf world back to this: No matter where he plays, or how much money he makes, Phil Mickelson can sometimes remind us — of us.
The player who built his brand as golf’s everyman — only to risk it all with his move to a Saudi-backed startup that led to his suspension from the PGA Tour — looked like a weekend duffer in putting himself out of the U.S. Open contention Thursday on the par-3 sixth.
He shot 8-over 78. He walked off the course tied for 145th in the 156-player field. About the only consolation was that his interaction with the crowd was mostly positive: Thumbs ups and some eye contact through the sunglasses from him and lots of “Go Phil,” and “Happy Birthday, Phil” from the stands. He turned 52 on Thursday.
The ultimate “Phil Being Phil” moment came on the sixth green.
Mickelson hit his tee shot on the 196-yard par-3 to 12 feet, then waited while Louis Oosthuizen almost chipped in from the rough and Shane Lowry, putting on almost Mickelson’s exact line, just missed to the right.
Looking for his first birdie, Mickelson blew it 3 feet past. He stopped and stared. Asked his brother and caddie, Tim, to take a look at the comebacker. Blocked that one, too. And the next.
When he mercifully tapped in for his double-bogey 5, he was 5 over with the meat of the golf course still ahead. The quiet buzz spilling out of the grandstand and luxury suites grew louder as Happy Hour approached. Yes, that happened.
Earlier, Mickelson had missed par saves from 7 feet on No. 1 and 8 feet on No. 3. He needed 32 putts overall, which ranked him 120th. This marked the sixth straight time he’s
failed to break par in the opening round of the U.S. Open.
He did not stop to talk to reporters afterward.
Locals watch
World No. 12 Xander Schauffele of San Diego shot an even par 70 and is tied for 26th heading into the second day.
He had four bogeys and four birdies, including birdies on three of his final five holes.
Schauffele came to the ninth hole — his 18th hole — at 1-under but put his approach in a bunker and lost a stroke.
University of San Diego’s Charlie Reiter had an interesting day, to say the least. He shot a 6-over 76 and is tied for 125th.
He had five bogeys, two double bogeys, a birdie on the 13th hole and an eagle on No. 8, but shot better than Mickelson.
Major debut MJ Daffue
never could have imagined the year would have
gone this way, much less a 67 in the opening round of the U.S. Open, his first major.
Not after starting the year sick from the coronavirus in January.
The South African was was the seventh-to-last player to get into the first Korn Ferry Tour event in the Bahamas. He tied for 15th. A month later, he had consecutive top 10s. And when he recorded successive top 3s, he had secured enough points for the South African to earn a PGA Tour card next season.
And then it got even better. Daffue (pronounced “Duffy”) shared medalist honors in U.S. Open qualifying in Springfield, Ohio. On Thursday, he made six birdies at The Country Club.
“I think now I’ve finally this week probably started feeling the freedom,” he said. “I secured my card next year, and maybe I can go for a few more things that I would never have.”
It was a long road to the
PGA Tour, even the U.S. Open, but he figures the hard times got him here. The greatest lessons come from all the Monday qualifying he can go through for tour events.
“It really taught me to make a lot of birdies,” he said.
Notable
Jordan Spieth had a stomach bug Wednesday and cut short his final day of practice. He did make it to the tee Thursday and had more excitement inside the ropes than he needed. Spieth had two pars, three birdies and four bogeys on the front nine. He took bogey on No. 10, and when he cashed in for birdie on he 17th, he gave that shot back on the closing hole for 72. Patrick Cantlay also had limited practice recovering from an illness. He also shot 72.
• Abraham Ancer withdrew Thursday morning because of illness, making him the only player to withdraw during the week. He was replaced by