Mickelson’s close calls at US Open

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This article was published 07/06/2019 (2625 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. – A capsule look at the six runner-up finishes in the U.S. Open by Phil Mickelson, who needs this major for the career Grand Slam:

YEAR: 1999.

COURSE: Pinehurst No. 2.

SCORES: 67-70-73-70–280.

RESULT: Runner-up, one shot behind Payne Stewart.

KEY MOMENT: Mickelson had a one-shot lead with three to play. Stewart made a 25-foot par putt on the 16th, a 4-foot birdie putt on the 17th and a 15-foot par putt on the 18th. Mickelson missed a 6-foot par putt on the 16th, an 8-foot birdie putt on the 17th and a 25-foot birdie putt on the 18th.

NOTEWORTHY: Mickelson played the entire tournament with a pager in his golf bag and said he would withdraw if his wife went into labour with their first child. Amy Mickelson gave birth to a daughter the next day.

___

YEAR: 2002.

COURSE: Bethpage Black.

SCORES: 70-73-67-70–280

RESULT: Runner-up, three shots behind Tiger Woods.

KEY MOMENT: Mickelson, five shots behind at the start of the final round, birdied the par-5 13th to get within two shots. Woods answered with a 2-iron onto the 13th green for a two-putt birdie. Moments later, Mickelson’s tee shot on the 16th found the rough and he couldn’t reach the green, making bogey.

NOTEWORTHY: Woods and Mickelson were the only players at par or better.

___

YEAR: 2004.

COURSE: Shinnecock Hills.

SCORES: 68-66-66-71–278

RESULT: Runner-up, two shots behind Retief Goosen.

KEY MOMENT: Tied for the lead on the par-3 17th, Mickelson hit into a bunker. He blasted out to 5 feet above the hole and three-putted for double bogey.

NOTEWORTHY: Goosen one-putted the last six greens.

___

YEAR: 2006.

COURSE: Winged Foot.

SCORES: 70-73-69-74–286.

RESULT: Tied for second, one shot behind Geoff Ogilvy.

KEY MOMENT: With a one-shot lead playing the 18th hole, Mickelson hit a wild slice toward the corporate tent and tried to hit 3-iron around a tree toward the green. It hit the tree and came straight down in the rough. His third shot plugged into a bunker, and his sand shot went through the green. He made double bogey.

NOTEWORTHY: Mickelson was trying to join Tiger Woods as the only players in the last 50 years to win three straight majors.

___

YEAR: 2009.

COURSE: Bethpage Black

SCORES: 69-70-69-70–278

RESULT: Tied for second, two shots behind Lucas Glover.

KEY MOMENT: After a sensational charge to tie for the lead, Mickelson hit hybrid out of the rough to the collar of the green on the 15th. He left his putt 3 feet short and missed that one for par. On the 17th, he came up short and chipped to 8 feet, missing the par putt.

NOTEWORTHY: Mickelson learned only a month earlier that his wife, Amy, had breast cancer.

___

YEAR: 2013.

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COURSE: Merion Golf Club

SCORES: 67-72-70-74–283.

RESULT: Tied for second, two shots behind Justin Rose.

KEY MOMENT: Mickelson was one shot behind when he hit wedge over the green on the par-3 13th hole and made bogey. Still one shot behind in the 15th fairway, his wedge was so short that he used a wedge to chip from the putting green and made another bogey.

NOTEWORTHY: It was the first time Mickelson had the outright lead (one shot) going into the final round of a U.S. Open.