Phil Mickelson withdrew from the US Open a little more than an hour after the sun climbed over Erin Hills, realising there was no chance to get from his daughter's high school graduation in California and make his afternoon tee time.
This is the first time Mickelson has missed the US Open since he failed to qualify in 1993.
It is also the first major without Mickelson or Tiger Woods since the 1994 Masters.
Mickelson was out with a broken leg. Woods was in high school.
Roberto Diaz of Mexico took Mickelson's place.
Mickelson had been holding out hope that with the potential of storms over Wisconsin, there might be a long enough delay that he could still make his tee time. His daughter, Amanda, is the class president at Pacific Ridge School in California, and was to give the commencement speech.
Mickelson figured he would need at least a four-hour delay, where the course has been closed twice in the last three days because of thunderstorms.
Instead, the US Open began under sunshine and with practically no threat of bad weather all day.
Mickelson holds the Open record with six runner-up finishes, and it is the only major keeping him from the career grand slam.
"It's a tournament that I want to win the most," Mickelson said two weeks ago when he first revealed the conflict. "The only way to win is if you play and have a chance. But this 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."
This is the same daughter who nearly caused Mickelson to withdraw from the 1999 tournament. He carried a beeper with him and pledged to leave in the middle of the tournament even if he was leading. Payne Stewart made a 15-foot par putt on the last hole to beat Mickelson by one shot.
Amanda was born the next day.
The last time Mickelson was runner-up was in Merion in 2013, the week Amanda graduated from the eighth grade. Mickelson attended that ceremony, too, though this was on a Wednesday. He flew overnight to Philadelphia, arrived at 4am and took a quick nap before his 7.11am tee time. He took the 54-hole lead that week until Justin Rose surged past him on the back nine.
Share
