It always seems that pioneers and leaders in their fields think a little bit different from most of us. Thomas Edison, Albert Einstein, Bill Gates and Stephen Hawking never thought like the average Joe.
Maybe that’s why they were able to accomplish things far beyond the grasp of “regular” folk.
Phil Mickelson walks off the 18th hole during the second round of the 2016 U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club in Oakmont, Pa. on Saturday, June 18, 2016. (Copyright USGA/Joel Kowsky)
Phil Mickelson thinks differently from the average guy too. It was Phil that said his 25 years of U.S. Open experience prepared him for this Oakmont course. Well, it didn’t work out that way as Phil struggled to find his share of birdies and missed the cut.
True to his positive nature he thought he had a chance of making the cut, even after he failed to birdie seventeen and eighteen early this morning as he completed his rain delayed second round.
Even though every news outlet and even the USGA had the cut line listed as +6 Phil still thought he’d be around after the cut. He spoke with the media immediately after completing his second round and before the rest of the field had finished and the cut line was established.
Hopefully, I’ll make the cut. I believe that I will. If so and I have an opportunity, you just never know on this golf course. We’ve seen low scores. I don’t feel like I have to search for anything on the range. I feel like my game is there, but my scoring hasn’t been what I want the first two days.
Asked if he thought +7 would make it (even though everyone knew the number was +6) he was steadfast.
I would be surprised if I didn’t make it. I think 7 over will make it. I just think that I need less than half the field to move behind me, and I would — just doing the math, it should work.
Good thing Einstein didn’t do math like Phil.
I guess that’s how champions have to think. But I think Phil may have been looking through a pair of rose colored glasses.
I actually thought I played really well, except I let four or five par putts kind of slide, and all of a sudden I’d be 2 over and right in it. You can’t do that here because you don’t have those birdie opportunities to offset it, offset those mistakes. I didn’t have very many birdie opportunities. My irons were — they don’t feel bad, but they’re just a fraction off. Instead of hitting it 15 feet, giving myself chances, I’m 30 feet, 40 feet, and fighting just to make par.
The numbers do not back up Phil’s logic. While Phil did hit 75% (21/28) of his fairways he could only find 56% (20/36) greens. And his putter failed him as he did miss a bunch of short putts and ranked T87 in the field for putting.
No matter what Phil says Oakmont is not kind to him. He is the holder of six second place finishes at the U.S. Open but the last time he missed a cut was right here in 2007.
The book closes on his career grand slam chase in 2016 and having just turned 46 Phil will need something very, very special next year.
He’s probably thinking about his game plan for Erin Hills already.
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