Last year’s runner-up Johnson in buoyant mood for Oakmont

Phil Mickelson had a pretty interesting take on Oakmont.

Mickelson had another one in mind. “Because I think how you handle failure is a huge element to becoming successful”.

“The only thing that would be successful would be a win, and I hate to enter a tournament with that kind of mindset where you’re thinking about the result because it just doesn’t bring out your best golf”, said Mickelson, who hasn’t won since 2013.

“Because of that, I would love to see it cross the line the way U.S. Opens often do, and become a little bit over the edge”.

With all apologies to the Golden Bear, that means more to Mickelson than the Memorial. No wonder USGA’s Mike Davis, the man responsible for setting up the US Open courses, is always happy to be returning to Oakmont.

He has finished runner-up in the Open a staggering six times, which is two more than anyone else.

Jason Day of Australia pausing during practice at Oakmont Country Club in Pennsylvania. Fleck had to birdie two of the last four holes to force a playoff with Hogan at 7-over 287. Having played the course since he was twelve years old, Oakmont was essentially Palmer’s home track.

“I’m just looking forward to, I guess, my first U.S. Open on a golf course that I’ve notoriously watched growing up”, Willett said. I got my legs under me after a 4-week stretch.

He chose to end his U.S. Open career at Oakmont in 1994, a poignant moment on the 18th green and in the press room. “As the pin placements move and the green moisture changes from softer to firmer or what have you, you have to adapt how you play this golf course”. So fairway bunker play is not something I’ve even practiced. So tough that in 2007 Mickelson injured his wrist.

No matter how much pain he was in after hearing (and feeling) the “crack”, the caddie did not forget proper golf etiquette, suppressing his cries until Day completed his shot.

I was four over through 11 and didn’t panic and got it back to shoot 71 the first day.

Johnson trailed Spieth by a shot as he walked to the tee at the par-5 18th at Chambers Bay last Father’s Day. Mickelson said the over-under for his use of drivers is four per round.

Chipping and putting downhill for par, Mickelson said, is “just not possible”. The three-time U.S. Open champion also announced that he wouldn’t be able to play in his own tournament, the Quicken Loans National at Congressional. He turns 46 on Thursday and would be the oldest victor in the history of the tournament.

Jordan Spieth hits out of the bunker on the seventh hole during the rain delayed first round of the U.S. Open golf championship at Oakmont Country Club on Friday, June 17, 2016, in Oakmont, Pa. “I’ve been studying the notes because they’re fairly extensive”.

“I feel like my game, in those situations, has held up just fine the past few times I’ve been in this situation”.

“Every shot you hit, you’re under pressure to hit a great shot because you can’t really miss it”. But Mickelson fails to get up and down from a greenside bunker and save par and Stewart drains an unlikely 25-footer for par to pull even.

This isn’t the longest U.S. Open course, not even close. But he shot 67 Saturday and had a raucous NY crowd on his side as he narrowed his deficit to five shots heading into the final round. “You have to just wedge out”.

He has not managed a top-10 finish since, with his last performance – at the Dean & DeLuca Invitational – a tied for 55th.

While Mickelson’s preparation has been meticulous, it has not been free of off-course distractions. Back-to-back birdies on Nos. Goosen won by two.

In 2006 at Winged Foot, he was trying to win his third straight major.

Northern Ireland’s McIlroy, who announced himself as a potential golfing great with a stunning eight-shot win to claim his first grand slam crown in the 2011 US Open at Congressional, has his sights set on a fifth major title. Two majestic shots left him 12 feet from a championship. “We were hoping for Woods to win, and when Angel won it was like, ‘Who is this guy.’ Now he’s a Masters champion”. But in a day where nearly no one broke 70, Miller hit all 18 greens in regulation and took only 29 putts. If I miss a putt, then I can blame myself, not the greens, which I like.