Phil Mickelson Optimistic About Making It to U.S. Open Again After Previously Hinting 2025 Event to Be His Last

Phil Mickelson previously expressed that there was a high likelihood that the 2025 U.S. Open at Oakmont would be his last appearance in his national Open.

Phil Mickelson Optimistic About Making It to U.S. Open Again After Previously Hinting 2025 Event to Be His Last

Phil Mickelson (Image via Imago)

Before the 2025 U.S. Open, Phil Mickelson expressed that there was a “high likelihood” that the 2025 U.S. Open would be his last. Now the LIV Golfer seems to have made a dramatic U-turn regarding this.

The LIV Golfer was in the final year of the exemption that he received from winning the 2021 PGA Championship. With him no longer having an exemption, he will have to rely on other qualifying methods to play in the 2026 U.S. Open.

To play in this major next year, Mickelson could have to go through the qualifying rounds, which many top names go. Given his age, many believed that this was the final year where he took part in his national Open.

In the press conference of LIV Golf Dallas, the 55-year-old was once again asked about his comments of this U.S. Open potentially being his last. During this, the “Lefty” expressed that he can still contend in the major championships and earn a place in the U.S. Open through them.

I don’t want to say it’s my last. I actually think I’m playing well enough that if I can play at the level I’ve played at out here in majors again, I’ll finish high enough to get into a U.S. Open via that qualifying avenue… So I don’t want to say that it is my last because I think I’m going to contend in the — I’m in the other three majors for a lot of years, and it could very well get me into the U.S. Open again.

The U.S. Open is the one major event that has eluded Mickelson in his entire career. Before the Masters Tournament this year, he was one of the 3 active golfers alongside Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth, who had completed three legs of a career grand slam (winning all 4 majors).

With McIlroy winning at the Augusta National this year, the number has come down to 2. Mickelson has recorded an astonishing 6 runner-up finishes in the U.S. Open, with the last one coming more than a decade ago in 2013.

In the event this year, Mickelson suffered a late setback in Round 2 and finished with a score of 8-over par in the wet conditions at Oakmont and missed the cut by one shot. This was the third straight major this year where he failed to make the cut.

Phil Mickelson recently hyped up his ex-Ryder Cup teammate on social media

Phil Mickelson is one of the most highly active golfers on social media. The HyFlyers GC captain has many times made his feelings known regarding several topics and even dropped some hot takes. Recently, he hyped up his ex-Ryder Cup teammate.

Phil Mickelson
Phil Mickelson (Image via Imago)

This past Sunday at the Travelers Championship, Keegan Bradley shocked the golfing world with an epic comeback win. The current U.S. Ryder Cup captain stunned English golfer Tommy Fleetwood and snatched the title away from him.

As Bradley emerged victorious, chants of “USA” erupted at the TPC River Highlands. As he celebrated his 2nd Travelers Championship win in 3 years, Mickelson would take to his X account to react to this win.

The 6-time major champion would drop a 5-word reaction on X and hype up his former teammate following his win over a European golfer.

Keegan Bradley is THE MAN!!

Bradley’s win saw him climb up to 9th in the USA Ryder Cup standings for 2025. His victory has led many to wonder whether he could be the first playing captain since the late great Arnold Palmer in 1963. With the way Mickelson reacted to his win, he certainly would like his former teammate to be the playing captain.

The Ryder Cup this year will be held at the Bethpage Course in New York. Team USA would be hoping for a better performance than last time out, as they got crushed in Rome against Luke Donald‘s lead Team Europe.

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