Phil Mickelson sees Oakmont as best shot at Grand Slam

Phil Casey 08:55 16/06/2016
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  • Eyeing history: Phil Mickelson.

    Phil Mickelson believes Oakmont provides his best chance of winning the US Open to complete the career grand slam, as long as conditions “cross the line” between difficult and unfair.

    Mickelson has finished runner-up in the year’s second major championship a record six times, most recently when he shared the 54-hole lead at Merion in 2013 but went on to finish second behind Justin Rose.

    A month later, the left-hander won his first Open title at Muirfield to leave himself needing to win his national open to join Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods in having won all four majors.

    Mickelson has already described Oakmont as “the hardest course we’ve ever played” and labelled the greens far more difficult to putt on than those at Augusta National, venue for the Masters.

    “All that being said, I believe it also gives me the best chance because you have to really know how to play this style of golf,” said the five-time major winner, who celebrates his 46th birthday today and would surpass Hale Irwin (45) as the oldest US Open champion.

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    “It’s just not like a regular Tour event. It’s not like going out and playing golf at any other golf course. This is a whole different style of golf, something that over the years I’ve become very effective at playing.

    “Because of that I would love to see it cross the line the way US Opens often do and become a little bit over the edge. That actually benefits me because we’re going to have a winner at the end of the week. Whatever that score is, who cares if it’s five-under or 12-over, doesn’t matter; the lowest score wins.”

    Asked how important it is to win the grand slam, Mickelson added: “Well, I could BS you and tell you I don’t think about it. No, I think about it all the time. This is the tournament I want to win the most to complete the four majors.

    “I have to put that out of my head and try to execute and be patient and not think about results. You start thinking about results, you’ll never play your best golf.

    “But there’s no question that starting this year and every year here forward until I ultimately win this tournament, it will be my biggest thought, my biggest focus, because I view those players that have won the four majors totally different than I view all the others.”

    The last time the US Open was at Oakmont saw Argentina’s Angel Cabrera run out winner.

    Cabrera’s fluid, powerful swing made him the only player to produce two sub-par rounds that week, including a closing 69 that gave him a five-over total and a one-shot win over Tiger Woods and Jim Furyk.

    Cabrera, who became the first player from Argentina to win the US Open and the first from his country to win a major since Roberto DeVicenzo won the Open in 1967, said: “It’s been very emotional this week with all the memories from back in ‘07. I’ve been waiting several years to actually be back here.”

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