Focus is hard to find at US Open

BROOKLINE, MASS. >> Phil Mickelson lumbered his way down the first fairway and flashed a thumbs-up almost by habit, even if he wasn't responding to an occasional encouraging word from behind the ropes or in the grandstands. In that respect, Tuesday felt like a typical U.S. Open.

This is his 31st appearance, and any degree of normalcy — for Mickelson and so many other big names in golf — is hard to find.

LIV Golf and Saudi riches get as much attention as thick rough and firm greens. Greg Norman is mentioned about as often as Francis Ouimet.

Brooks Koepka had heard enough.

“I'm trying to focus on the U.S. Open, man,” Koepka, a two-time U.S. Open champion, said testily. “I legitimately don't get it. I'm tired of the conversations. I'm tired of all this stuff. Y'all are throwing a black cloud on the U.S. Open. I think that sucks.”

Mickelson is at the heart of the Saudi-funded rival league that Norman is running, returning from his four-month hiatus last week outside London to play the inaugural LIV event with 13 other players who are now at The Country Club for the U.S. Open.

He played with Jon Rahm and Kevin Na. Approaching the first tee, the applause was warm, though somewhat muted compared with other years, still with the odd shout, “This is your year, Phil!” or “We love you, Phil!”

One fan recognized Rahm and gave him a shout, a nice gesture for the defending champion.

Brookline is nothing like Torrey Pines, where last year Rahm became the first player in U.S. Open history to birdie the last two holes and win by one shot. The scenery is classic New England, not California coast. The test, however, looks familiar.

“It's a U.S. Open. You need everything,” Rahm said. “You need to drive well, hit your irons well, chip well and putt well and be mentally sane for four days. You can't hide, period...”