PINEHURST, N.C. — When Phil Mickelson finished his first round of the 114th US Open on Thursday, he was at even-par 70 and two strokes off the lead. By the time he began his second round on Friday, he was 10 shots back of Martin Kaymer.
Mickelson, who played in the morning groupings Thursday and the afternoon groupings Friday, was passed by Kaymer, who posted a 65 on Thursday afternoon and another 65 on Friday morning to stand at a record 10-under par before Mickelson hit his first ball on Friday.
It was a major buzzkill to all those rooting for Mickelson to finally break through and win a U.S. Open. Any hope of him somehow getting within striking distance of Kaymer were ruined when Mickelson posted a 3-over-par 73 to stand 3-over heading into the weekend. At least he made the cut, something he didn’t do at the Masters.
“I’m not overly optimistic,” Mickelson said of his chances of getting back into contention. “But I’m not giving up.”
It shapes up to be another lost US Open for Mickelson, who is tied for 33rd and, in a sense of cruel irony, would do well to finish second for a seventh time in this major. Then again, that’s not likely to happen if he keeps putting the crowned greens of Pinehurst the way he did on Friday, when he missed three putts of 6 feet or less.
“The hole looks like a thimble to me right now,” he said. “I’m having a hard time finding it.”
While Kaymer was the picture of confidence and precision, Mickelson reverted back to his troubling form of missing short putts at key moments. After announcing at the start of the tournament he was going to use the claw grip to enhance his chances of making putts, Mickelson junked that approach for most of the second round, electing to revert back to the more conventional grip. “I thought I was going to have a good putting day,” he said.
“After I’ve three-putted three or four times, I kind of lose my focus on the other stuff,” Mickelson said. “It really affects my ability to concentrate and my momentum and energy.”
At the par-5 10th, Mickelson hit his drive deep into the waste area. He wound up missing another putt from less than 5 feet for par. Then after rolling a 20-footer for birdie at the par-4 14th past the cup, Mickelson missed the 2-foot comeback for par putting him at 2-over and a distant 12 strokes behind Kaymer. He also took bogey at the 18th.
Just like that, Mickelson has no chance of winning. No chance to complete the career grand slam he said would make him think differently about his career. No chance of ending the hex at U.S. Opens, where he has finished second six times.
For the first time in his career, Mickelson came into a U.S. Open without having posted a top-10 finish during the season. And he may leave Pinehurst without a top-10 finish if he continues to putt the way he did on Friday.
“I don’t believe the stroke is bad,” Mickelson said. “I’m just not dialed in.”
If not for Kaymer, the U.S. Open would be shaping up for a thrilling weekend. But his dominating performance likely has left everyone playing for second. At this point, the only person who can beat Kaymer is Kaymer. It certainly won’t be Mickelson.