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SAN DIEGO — The U.S. Open does not play sentimental favorites, and it doesn’t care what local fans’ dreams. There are a handful of results that tug at the heartstrings, like Payne Stewart’s win at Pinehurst No. 2 in 1999, but more years, it’s heartless. It proved that again this week.
Phil Mickelson broke through at majors and won his first of three Masters in 2004, then, in short order, won the 2005 PGA Championship. Out of nowhere, he won the British Open at Muirfield in 2013, but the U.S. Open has tormented him and eluded him now 30 times.
We can say that because after shooting a 75 on Sunday to finish the 121st U.S. Open at Torrey Pines at 11 over, Mickelson drove him tied for 62nd as the leaders were getting ready to tee off.
It’s Father’s Day, and his family was here this week to watch him play. Again.
The USGA has announced the venues for the U.S. Opens through 2027, but Torrey Pines is not on the list. It might get another U.S. Open, but whether it does or not, Mickelson, who turned 51 this week, won’t be in it. This was his last U.S. Open on home ground.
After finishing his work on the course, he was a bit nostalgic thinking back about playing in San Diego and having one last chance to compete in front of his family on one of the courses where he grew up playing.
“Some of (my) best times in the game of golf have been when I played with my dad, and we would go out and play Balboa a bunch, we would go out and play here at Torrey Pines a bunch,” he said. “I had to play a lot of high school matches that he would come out and be part of, and those moments we shared on the golf course are some of my favorite moments in my life, and seeing him out here and sharing this week has been a very special thing.”
Winning the PGA Championship last month on the Ocean Course at Kiawah, at age 50 and with his brother Tim caddying, was very special, too. But winning here at Torrey Pines would have been a storyline that even Disney might think was pushing it. A six-time runner-up finally winning, in his hometown, to complete the career Grand Slam, the week he turns 51?
“Obviously, I’m disappointed I didn’t play better,” Mickelson said before praising the course setup. “In the 30 years that I’ve played the U.S. Open, this is the best I’ve seen. I thought (the USGA) did a remarkable job, and I’m really proud and happy that it’s here at Torrey.”
Mickelson’s finish at Kiawah in May, complete with a mob of fans following him down the 18th fairway, played out like a fairytale. To the disappointment of Mickelson and his fans, the U.S. Open doesn’t do fairytales.
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