Q. Talk about the disappointment that you must be feeling.

PHIL MICKELSON: Well, I still am in shock that I did that. I just can’t believe that I did that. I am such an idiot. I just couldn’t hit a fairway all day. I just couldn’t hit a fairway all day.

I tried to go to my bread and butter shot, a baby carve slice on 18 and just get it in the fairway, and I missed it left. It was still okay, wasn’t too bad. I just can’t believe I couldn’t par the last hole. It really stings.

As a kid I dreamt of winning this tournament. I came out here and worked hard all four days, haven’t made a bogey all week and then bogeyed the last hole. Even a bogey would have gotten me into a playoff. I just can’t believe I did that.

Q. How is it different with this loss than the last two times when you finished second at the Open considering the success and the work you’ve made and the confidence and maturity in your game or have you had time to think about it?

PHIL MICKELSON: This one hurts more than any tournament because I had it won. I came out here a week or two ago in the evenings, just spending the evenings on the last four holes thinking that I would just need to make four pars, that there’s a good chance if I can just make four pars on Sunday, I could do it. I made a good par on 15, bogeyed 16 and doubled 18.

So it hurts because I had it in my grasp and just let it go. As opposed to somebody making a long putt or what have you.

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Wednesday, 21. June 2006
22.00 Eurosport, European Tour “St. Omer Open in Lumbres (FRA)”
22.30 Eurosport, European Challenge Tour 2006

Saturday, 24. Juni 2006
11.30 BBC, Spirit Of Golf
18.20 n-tv, Abschlag – Golf bei n-tv
18.30 BBC, Spirit Of Golf

Sunday, 25.Juni 2006
03.30 BBC, Spirit Of Golf
15.30 BBC, Spirit Of Golf
18.20 n-tv, Abschlag – Golf bei n-tv
22.30 BBC, Spirit Of Golf

There should be a chalk outline around Mickelson’s Open scorecard and yellow police tape around the 18th hole at Winged Foot. That’s where the Phil Phailure took place, where bizarre, mind-boggling history was made. (via)

I haven’t seen many major tournaments in my still young golfers career, but yesterdays US Open final I will remember for long. One shot made the difference and it made the difference all day. Almost every bogey or birdie resulted in a position change atop the leaderboard.

And what a demanding course Winged Foot was, Geoff Ogilvy’s winning score was +5 for the tournament, out of the 10 best players, only six rounds were played under par. Two rounds of 68 marked the tournaments best – played by Aaron Oberholer and – tadaa – David Duval on the second day. I don’t dare to think what this course would do to with me!

Will this tournament be remembered for Geoff Ogilvy’s first major win or for the meltdown of Phil Mickelson (and Colin Montgomery) with a double bogey on the last hole? How could you give it away in such a manner? Which insane person took control over his club choice? My pro would have whacked the shit out of me with a 5 iron should I have attempted things like Phil’s second shot on 18.

His second shot is where he officially lost the tournament. Mackay should have tackled him the moment he asked for a 3-iron. (via)

I kind of feel sorry for Colin Montgomery. But I think he didn’t lose the tourney because of the double bogey on 18 but for his horrendous start on the third day, picking up five shots on the first four holes.

Seventeen was a drive out right and a five-iron through the trees and a 40ft putt. That was the last hole of golf I played.

I look forward to coming back next year and try another US Open…disaster (Colin Montgomery)