Inspired Mickelson crowd favorite at US Open

FARMINGDALE, New York – The US Open might have a tough act to follow.

Tiger Woods was pure theater at San Diego last year, playing on a left leg so badly injured that the US Open turned out to be his last event of 2008. He made two eagles on the final six holes of the third round to take the lead, forced a playoff with a 12-foot birdie putt on the final hole on the Sunday, then battled Rocco Mediate over 19 extra holes to capture his 14th career major.

“I’m not sure we can duplicate that drama,” US Golf Association president Jim Vernon said on Wednesday.

Try telling that to thousands of fans who trudged through the soggy turf of Bethpage Black for five hours on the final day of practice, all because it was their first glimpse of Phil Mickelson.

The New York gallery has always loved Mickelson, even as he broke their hearts with runner-up finishes in the US Open at Bethpage in 2002, Shinnecock Hills in 2004 and Winged Foot in 2006 with that double bogey on the final hole.

The support now is louder and more tangible than ever.

Mickelson wasn’t even sure he could return to Bethpage Black upon learning last month that his wife, Amy, had been diagnosed with breast cancer. Only after getting some optimistic news that the cancer might have been caught early did Mickelson feel comfortable leaving California in search of a major that has caused him so much grief.

How much he plays in the rest of the year – Mickelson said the British Open was “unlikely” – depends on what doctors find when his wife has surgery two weeks after the US Open.

“I’m putting everything I have into this week, because I don’t anticipate being able to play for a little while,” Mickelson said. “And the fact that my normal support system – Amy and the kids and so forth – aren’t going to make the trip this week, I’m kind of hoping to feel that support to help me through the week.” (AP)