Phil Mickelson’s 2015 chase for the career grand slam came to a end today, a painful end. Phil was out of contention from the first tee ball today, really the first tee ball yesterday, and as it usually goes when he has no chance it became a tortuous march to the last hole for him.
Unfortunately it got worse for Phil as he stumbled to an ugly double bogey seven on eighteen (which included a whiff from the rough) to finish with a 73 for the round and at +13 for the championship.
Phil was dispirited afterwards and chose not to talk to the media which he rarely does but instead released a statement thanking the Chambers Bay patrons. “I enjoyed coming to Washington to play a major-championship event. The people here appreciate the PGA Tour players and the U.S. Open and have really supported it. It was fun to play here. The community helped run a really first-class event, and I wish I had played better.”
All of them wished he had played better too.
He received much support at every turn across the long, hard baked out course. But this was not Phil’s time.
His game had rounded into form last week on Sunday in Memphis and an opening round 69 gave Phil and his fans hope that this would be the year he finally broke the jinx of six second place finishes at the Open.
But a 74 followed by a 77 while others were going low ended Phil’s quest.
Disappointed doesn’t quite sum it up for Phil. His professional life is all about the majors now. And more specifically this U.S. Open. No player spoke more openly about their desire to win this championship and now Phil will have to wait until 2016 at Oakmont.
He turned 45 during this Open and at 46 next year he’ll be treading near history. Only two players have won majors over 45 years of age. Jack Nicklaus in ’86 at The Masters when he was 46 and Julius Boros captured the ’68 PGA Championship at 48.
Top tens, high finishes or second places in any tournament do not matter to Phil any longer. It’s The Masters, The Open Championship, The PGA and his white whale U.S. Open that gets him juiced.
The clock is ticking, the window is closing, and whatever cliché we can use to describe the fact that time is running out for Phil.
The fact is time is running out. But in his mind I am sure he thinks he has a good chance at Oakmont. And maybe that’s all he needs.
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