Mickelson’s meltdown

THE world of golf has been rocked by Phil Mickelson intentionally hitting a moving putt on the 13th green, then asking the United States Golf Association (USGA) to explain the ruling after hearing suggestions he should be disqualified from the US Open.

His bogey putt from above the hole ran by the cup and was headed down a slope when he trotted over and swatted it back toward the hole with the ball still in motion.

Mickelson’s adventure on the hole at Shinnecock Hills in the third round of the tournament on Saturday will go down as one of the odder moments of his Hall of Fame career.

 The six-time US Open runner-up incurred a twostroke penalty under Rule 14-5 for hitting a ball in motion. On his 48th birthday, no less.
 His approach on the 366- yard hole went long and right and his ensuing chip rolled past the pin and off the green. He then chipped 18 feet past the hole. His first putt missed on the right side and kept going. Mickelson saw that his ball was going to crest a ridge and likely roll off the green again, so he jogged after it and stroked it while it was still moving.

 That putt hit the lip and finished some 5 feet past the hole. Mickelson’s next putt missed and he tapped in for a 10 - eight strokes, including four putts, plus the two-shot penalty.

 Mickelson said he was not trying to make a point about the course set-up or the speed of the greens and added that he meant no disrespect to the game, his competitors or the USGA.

“Look, I don’t mean disrespect to anybody,” he said. “I know it’s a two-shot penalty. At that time, I just didn’t feel like going back and forth and hitting the shot over. I took the two-shot penalty and moved on. It’s my understanding of the rules. I’ve had multiple times when I’ve wanted to do that. I just finally did.”

His action did not impress. “The starting point of golf’s rules is this: play the ball as it lies. The rest is commentary. Mickelson didn’t do that. It wasn’t clever or cute or funny or smart. For a moment, he demeaned the game and revealed more of himself than he could have possibly intended. Phil is one of the greatest players in the history of the game, but for a moment he acted like a spoiled child,” slammed golf.com

In Bahrain, former Royal Golf Club (RGC) captain Barry Hobday, whose professional golfer son, Sam, is the club’s ambassador, was equally stunned but a little more forgiving. “

Wow! That was certainly something different,” he said. “I’ve never seen that before on a golf course but who can blame him when the greens are that fast! The greens at Shinnecock make ours look like you’re putting through treacle!

“Clearly, playing with Beef Johnston was making him feel hungry so he was obviously in a rush to finish his round to go and get a burger.”
Unlike Mickelson, Hobday had some US Open joy, winning the RGC tournament linked to the main event, playing alongside Alexander Norén, the 35-year-old Swedish professional golfer.

His Stableford score on Friday was added to a player’s second round real US Open score. “Everyone drew out a name after we finished our rounds,” explained Hobday Snr. “Luckily for me I picked out Alex Norén who shot +2 for 34 points. So, my 36 and his 34 gave me 70pts to win by one shot.
“It’s awesome, who wouldn’t feel great about winning the US Open as their first major? Especially being paired with such a brilliant player who will no doubt play in his first Ryder Cup this year.”

American Brooks Koepka retained his US Open title with a one-shot victory over England’s Tommy Fleetwood.