We could try to attempt to explain what Phil Mickelson, celebrating his 48th birthday by playing the third round of the US Open, did on the 13th green at Shinnecock, but it’s beyond comprehension. Four-over for his round after making five bogeys on his previous eight holes, Mickelson faced a slick, downhill 18-footer for bogey. Mickelson’s putt then rolled past the hole and it did not appear like it was going to stop before rolling off the front of the green. Inexplicably, Mickelson ran after his ball and hit it while it was still in motion on the green:
Phil Mickelson is off the rails. Putting like a four year old out there. pic.twitter.com/doUMMHORNJ
— Will Brinson (@WillBrinson) June 16, 2018
It’s a jaw-dropping move from Mickelson, and something that actually has happened before in a US Open. John Daly did it at the par-4 eighth hole at Pinehurst in 1999 and walked away with a 13, eventually carding an 83. Afterwards, Daly claimed he had taken the penalty on purpose as a protest against the USGA placing so many precarious pins on Pinehurst No.2’s mounded greens. Kirk Triplett also did it at the US Open in 1998 at the Olympic Club, stopping his ball in motion with his putter on the 18th green when he already knew he was missing the cut.
Afterwards, Mickelson said he was fully aware of the penalty strokes involved, saying he felt like it was a smarter option to hit the rolling ball than where it was likely to finish off the front of the green – “I tried to hit it as close to the hole as possible,” he told Fox Sports TV’s Curtis Strange – and he went about the rest of his round almost as if it didn’t happen, continue to smile and thumbs up in typical Phil fashion.
“At that time I didn’t feel like going back-and-forth and hitting the same shot over,” he added. “I took the two-shot penalty and moved on… I don’t mean any disrespect.”
Curtis Strange: it’s a simple question. What happened at 13? pic.twitter.com/RayH0804Bb
— Adam Schupak (@AdamSchupak) June 16, 2018
Counting his strokes, Mickelson wound up making 8, but according to the USGA website, his score for the hole has been recorded as a 10, given the two-stroke penalty.
The USGA released a statement regarding the penalty assessed to Mickelson:
“During play of the 13th hole Phil Mickelson made a stroke on the putting green at the time his ball was moving. As a result, he incurred a two stroke penalty for a breach of Rule 14-5. His score for the hole was 10.”
Per the USGA’s website, rule 14-5, “Playing a moving ball,” says that a player “must not make a stroke at his ball while it is moving”. This is different than Rule 1-2, which covers a ball purposely deflected or stopped by player, partner or caddie, and also is a two-stroke penalty.
John Bodenhammer, the USGA’s senior managing director, championships and governance, spoke to the media while Mickelson was still completing his round, reiterating that Mickelson’s breach is “explicitly covered in rule 14-5”.
