Phil Mickelson is within the subject for subsequent week’s U.S. Open at Oakmont Nation Membership in Pittsburgh, and the six-time main champion acknowledged Wednesday that it is perhaps his final likelihood to finish the profession Grand Slam.
It will likely be the ultimate 12 months of Mickelson’s five-year exemption for capturing the 2021 PGA Championship at Kiawah Island, South Carolina, the place he turned the oldest main championship winner.
Mickelson, 54, is a six-time runner-up on the U.S. Open, the one one of many 4 main championships that he hasn’t received. He would turn out to be the seventh golfer to attain the milestone, after Rory McIlroy did it on the Masters in April.
“I have not thought of it an excessive amount of,” Mickelson mentioned throughout a information convention at Robert Trent Jones Golf Membership in Gainesville, Virginia, the location of this week’s LIV Golf League match. “There is a excessive probability that will probably be, however I have not actually thought of it an excessive amount of.”
Requested if he would take part in open qualifying for future U.S. Opens if he is not exempt, Mickelson mentioned, “I do not know. I have not thought that far.”
In February, the U.S. Open turned the primary main to create a direct pathway for LIV Golf gamers, creating a brand new exemption that awarded a spot within the subject to the main participant within the particular person factors standings on Could 19.
Subsequent 12 months, the highest golfer within the last factors standings this season will get a spot within the 2026 U.S. Open. The participant should be not already exempt and end within the high three.
The highest 60 gamers within the Official World Golf Rating are additionally included within the U.S. Open subject. Gamers do not get OWGR factors for his or her LIV Golf League finishes — Mickelson is at the moment ranked 1,162nd on this planet.
Mickelson, a three-time Masters champion, has a lifetime exemption to play at Augusta Nationwide Golf Membership, in addition to the PGA Championship, which he received twice. He can play within the Open Championship till he is 60 after accumulating a Claret Jug in 2013.
Mickelson turns 55 on June 16.
Mickelson additionally hinted Wednesday that the top of his taking part in profession within the LIV Golf League won’t be too distant. He mentioned he’ll preserve competing as a taking part in captain of HyFlyers GC, so long as he isn’t hurting his group.
“I would like this group to succeed,” Mickelson mentioned. “I do not wish to maintain it again. If I am not an asset, if I am not serving to, if I am holding it again, then it is time for me to maneuver on and get anyone else in right here who’s going to actually assist the group win and succeed. These guys should expertise that, and I would like them to. As a companion on this group, I would like that, as properly.”
Mickelson is fifteenth within the particular person factors standings, the best place on his group. He completed third in a match in Hong Kong and sixth in Miami.
“This 12 months I’ve performed higher,” Mickelson mentioned. “I really feel like I’ve held it again the final couple years. I had an excellent low season. I do not really feel I am holding it again now. If I can proceed to play properly, assist the group succeed, then I wish to play. But when not, I am additionally practical and I would like the group to succeed greater than I would like my very own private curiosity [in] taking part in.”