Days Before the US Open, Phil Mickelson Fires a Warning, With the Elusive Career Grand Slam at Stake

In a handful of days, the Los Angeles Country Club is set to make its debut as the host for the 2023 U.S. Open. This is also the first time that any major championship will be held on the renowned golf course, ensuring great thrills and excitement for fans.

This year, even golfers who have jumped ship to the much-controversial LIV league will be participating in the major event. This includes Phil Mickelson, who will once again be vying for the coveted U.S. Open title that has evaded him his entire career. On Thursday, the LIV pro even took to social media to show off his golfing chops as he gears up to compete at the LACC!

Phil Mickelson gears up for the 2023 U.S. Open

Phil Mickelson is, without a doubt, one of the greatest players in the history of the game. In his long and illustrious career, the golfer has nabbed six major titles, his most recent coming in 2021. However, one piece of silverware that’s missing from Lefty’s trophy cabinet is the elusive U.S. Open trophy.

This time, Mickelson has again set his eyes on a career grand slam, as evidenced by his preparation for the major. In a video uploaded to Twitter by @HyFlyers_GC, the major winner can be seen hitting an impressive long drive, or, as he calls it, a “nasty a** bomb.”

“It’s time to go on a summer tear,” Mickelson further wrote, sharing the video. In the past, the LIV pro has come quite close to nabbing the coveted U.S. Open title, going on to finish runner-up a record six times. However, in the previous year’s edition, the golfer had a dismal outing as he failed to make the cut. This year, despite his defection to LIV, Mickelson is exempt from playing due to his 2021 PGA Championship win.

After a forgettable T58 finish at Oak Hill last month, the golfer will definitely be hoping to bounce back into form at the LACC. Mickelson, meanwhile, had a stellar outing at the 2023 Masters in April, where he finished T2 on the leaderboard.

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Who are the LIV pros competing at the U.S. Open?

Despite being suspended from competing at PGA Tour events, LIV pros can appear in the U.S. Open if they have previously earned exemptions or have made their way in via local and final qualifying. Bryson DeChambeau, Martin Kaymer, Dustin Johnson, and Brooks Koepka are exempt from playing as they have claimed the U.S. Open title in the past ten years.

Phil Mickelson, who became the oldest player ever to win a major championship in 2021, is also qualified to compete in the event. Reigning British Open winner Cam Smith is another golfer who is expected to appear this year. Abraham Ancer, Patrick Reed, Mito Pereira, and Thomas Pieters are also expected to make an appearance at the year’s third major, as they are among the top 60 in the Official World Golf Rankings.

Meanwhile, LIV’s Joaquin Niemann, who had qualified for the season-ending 2022 Tour Championship, earned an exemption this time around. Most recently, 2017 Masters winner Sergio Garcia also claimed a spot at the year’s third major in Los Angeles via final qualifying in Dallas.

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What do you think of Phil Mickelson’s chances at the U.S. Open this year? Do you think a LIV pro will emerge a winner at the LACC? Tell us in the comments!