Phil Mickelson celebrates his birthday on the opening day of US Open
Phil Mickelson will be celebrating his 41st birthday today at the clubhouse of Congressional Country Club, where the 111th edition of US Open will take place.
The veteran, who turned pro in 1992, will be teeing-off today from the back at 1:35 pm alongside Rory McIlroy and Dustin Johnson. The Californian is one of the highest ranked professionals in the field and a prominent bidder for
the title.
The tee timings seem to be a birthday present for Mickelson, as the greens will become softer as the day progresses, and when Mickelson walks down the back nine, which already seems a challenge for the American since a new hole
has been added at the back nine.
Mickelson's reluctance to comment on the addition of the tenth hole to the back revealed earlier that the golfer wasn't too enthused by the inclusion of it.
The three-time Master winner said earlier, “So, as I was saying earlier about how 18 is like a brilliantly designed golf hole, I think 10 is the exact opposite, because the average guy can’t play that hole. So when I play that
hole, 3 is a great score.”
Although Mickelson wasn't too confident about the new addition to the course, his record at the US Open is nothing short of outstanding, and the player will be relying on his vast experience to overcome these little challenges.
The 41-year-old has a record that shows four Top 2 and two Top 4 finishes. In the past three years, he has not finished outside the Top 20, indicating the comfortability level of the player when it comes to the US Open.
However, critics believe that Mickelson has crossed the age limit required to win a US Open. According to them, only a young gun can win the tournament, as it is a test of sheer physical strength and mental toughness.
Mickelson is mentally fit, a fact which is evident from his last five performances, which include a win as well, but his physical fitness is a questionable department indeed. The Californian has arthritis, which can prove to be
a slight hurdle in his mission to win the coveted US Open.
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