Despite a Winless Streak, How Did Phil Mickelson Qualify for U. S Open 2024?
The third major of the season is almost here! Scheduled from June 13 to 16, the US Open will take place at Pinehurst. Best golfers will tee up to fight for the highly coveted title, and it will include both PGA Tour pros and LIV golfers. Saudi league players such as Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka, Jon Rahm, Dustin Johnson, and Martin Kaymer have qualified based on their past champion status. However, Phil Mickelson‘s name also appears on the list, raising questions since the 53-year-old hasn’t won a major in a long time. How did he qualify?
Mickelson has secured victory in six major championships thus far, yet none of them were at the US Open. Despite this, the top 60 players on the OWGR also have a chance, but Mickelson doesn’t meet that criteria, as he currently ranks 179th. Interestingly, Mickelson’s most recent major triumph occurred in 2021, when he secured his sixth major title at the PGA Championship.
With this Lefty is still eligible to play this year at Pinehurst No. 2. Three years ago, Lefty made history at the Ocean Course by becoming the oldest major winner, surpassing Brooks Koepka and Louis Oosthuizen, both of whom are now LIV Golf players. Given his victory at the PGA Championship, Mickelson is eligible to compete this year.
Although the golfer is permitted to play at Pinehurst No. 2, whether he will compete remains uncertain. Last month, the 53-year-old made a startling revelation about potentially stepping away from the greens shortly. Discussing his plans, the golfer stated, “I’m 53 now, and my career, you know, if I’m being truthful, is toward its end.”
Given this, it’s difficult to predict how much longer Mickelson will continue to compete professionally on the greens. However, aside from Lefty, are there any LIV golfers qualified to play at the US Open? There are!
Which other LIV golfers are qualified for the US Open?
Golfers placing in the top 10 or tying for 10th in last year’s US Open automatically qualify for the following year, providing Cameron Smith with the opportunity. Adrian Meronk, a newcomer to LIV Golf this year, ranked fourth in the 2023 Race to Dubai Rankings. The USGA grants exemptions to the top two players. However, Rory McIlroy, Nicolai Hojgaard, and Jon Rahm, who ranked higher, were already exempt through different criteria, resulting in Meronk earning a spot.
The USGA mandated that only those who qualified and are eligible to play in the Tour Championship will qualify for the national major. Tyrell Hatton, who joined Jon Rahm’s Legion XIII this year after participating in two PGA Tour events, secured his spot through this criterion. Hatton finished T16 at last year’s Tour Championship. Aside from these special criteria, David Puig, Dean Burmester, and Eugenio Chacarra also qualified through the U.S. Open qualifiers.
