14 Years After Infamously Blowing a Lead, Phil Mickelson Once Trolled Himself Over His 2006 U.S. Open Misfortune

However controversial Phil Mickelson may be, he is still one of the most amusing characters on the circuit. The 6-time major championship winner has seen many ups and downs in a career that has transcended a millennial. But with age, Mickelson has learned to laugh and forgive, which was the case after his return to Winged Foot in 2020.

Phil Mickelson takes a jibe after returning to Winged Foot

For the unversed, Mickelson is infamous for his loss at the 2006 U.S. Open, where he blew his lead at the final hole. The event was played at Winged Foot, which hosted the tournament again 14 years later, in 2020.

Read more: ‘Take Advantage of the Rules’: After Massive Scrutiny, Phil Mickelson Accepted His Mistake and Offered to Withdraw From a Major Championship in 2018

Ahead of the event, Mickelson took a dig at himself after hearing a wager on him winning the U.S. Open. Apparently, he got the wind of someone placing a $45,000 bet for him to emerge victorious at the tournament. Mickelson couldn’t resist making fun of it, tweeting a hilarious reply from his account.

Indeed, the veteran golfer was nowhere close to his best. He didn’t make the cut after the first couple of rounds, finishing with a score of 13-over par. The event was won by Bryson DeChambeau, who secured his first major championship with the victory.

What happened at the 2006 U.S. Open at Winged Foot?

A young Mickelson arrived at the 2006 U.S. Open in a hot streak of form. He held the lead till the last hole of the event, where he required a par to clinch the victory. However, Mickelson failed in the moment of pressure and blew his lead with a double bogey.

The loss was a hard one to take for Mickelson, who was visibly aghast later. Agonizingly, he has never won the U.S. Open in his career, having finished second a record six times in the event. It remains Mickelson’s only remaining trophy to finish the set of a career grand slam, which continues to elude him even today.

However, if the amiable tweet from Mickelson is anything to go by, he has moved forward in life. He has forgotten the thought of what could have been to look forward, in optimism.

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