ERIN Wis. – Six-time U.S. Open runner-up Phil Mickelson has officially withdrawn from the 2017 championship at Erin Hills to be at his daughter’s high school graduation in California, missing his national open for the first time since 1993. Mickelson had stayed in the field till the last moment in the hope of a potential lengthy weather delay but with clear skies greeting Erin, Wisconsin Thursday morning the five-time major winner officially pulled the pin. The 46-year-old is a veteran of 26 U.S. Open’s – the last 23 consecutively – but will now have to wait another year to try to complete the career grand slam. With wins at the Masters (2004, 2006, 2010), the PGA Championship (2005) and the Open Championship (2013) it remains the one trophy he covets most. He was runner-up in 1999, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2009 and 2013. “Obviously it’s a tournament that I want to win the most, and the only way to win is if you play,â€� Mickelson said recently at the Memorial Tournament. “But this (the graduation) is one of those moments where you look back on life and you just don’t want to miss it. I’ll be really glad that I was there and present.â€� Amanda Mickelson (17) will give the commencement address this morning as the school president at the Pacific Ridge School in Carlsbad. Roberto Diaz of Mexico will take Mickelson’s place in the field. The 30-year-old was the first alternate from the Summit, N.J. sectional qualifying site and is now playing his first major championship.
Click here to read the full article…
