Phil Mickelson chose driver again on the 18th at Winged Foot. He blocked it to the left again. Made bogey instead of double bogey this time.
But instead of walking off in second place, the way he did in 2006, he headed to the clubhouse Thursday in 142nd, tied for second-to-last at the U.S.
Open. Back at the scene of his most crushing defeat, Mickelson found no reason to enjoy this beast of a course any more than when he left it 14 years ago. “I drove it poorly, and I putted poorly,” he said in offering a succinct summary of an awful day.
He found a grand total of two fairways over a 5-hour slog through the thick grass, sand and greens that he couldn't figure out.