Six-time major champion Phil Mickelson has revealed that the upcoming U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club may be his last time competing in the major.
The 54-year-old, who last captured a major title at the 2021 PGA Championship—securing a five-year exemption into the U.S. Open—must win the U.S. Open to join the elite group of players who have completed the career Grand Slam, a list recently expanded with the inclusion of Rory McIlroy.
Mickelson has won the Masters on three occasions (2004, 2005, and 2010), the PGA Championship on two occasions (2006 and 2021), and the Open Championship once in 2013, only missing the U.S. Open.
“I haven’t thought about it too much,” he said speaking at a news conference ahead of LIV Golf Virginia when asked about the potential of the 2025 U.S. Open being his last chance to win the event.
“There’s a high likelihood that it will be, but I haven’t really thought about it too much.”
But he added that the upcoming LIV Golf event at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Gainesville, Virginia would help him prepare for next week’s major.
“What I have thought about is how similar this week’s course is set up to what we’ll see next week,” Mickelson said. “We have greens that are rolling 14 to 15 on the stimpmeter just like we will next week.
“We have contours, undulations just like we will next week. I think it’s a great way to prepare for next week without minimizing the effects of this week because this is the first tournament of our second half of LIV, and we all need and want and are working hard to getting off to a good start and making the second half of LIV great.”
When asked whether he plans to try qualifying for future events, Mickelson responded: “I don’t know. I don’t know. I haven’t thought that far.”
He also hinted that his time on the LIV Golf Circuit may also be coming to an end. He stated that he wants his HyFlyers team to succeed but will take a back seat if he believes he is becoming a hindrance to them.
“I want this team to succeed,” he said. ” I don’t want to hold it back. If I’m not an asset, if I’m not helping, if I’m holding it back, then it’s time for me to move on and get somebody else in here who is going to really help the team win and succeed.
“These guys deserve to experience that, and I want them to. As a partner in this team, I want that, as well.
“That needs to be the top priority is what can I do to help this team win, and if as a player I’m holding it back, then it’s time for me to move on.”