Phil Mickelson nearly got banned from the US Open once for bending the rules

Phil Mickelson has underperformed in most of the US Open Championships. Despite winning six Major championships in his career, the veteran is yet to win the US Open and shares a bitter-sweet relationship with this Major.

This tournament has kept Mickelson away from a career grand slam. There have been some heartbreaking finishes and controversies along the way as well.

The most famous, or infamous, controversy was back in 2018, at the Shinnecock Hills.

Like every US Open, the golf course, especially the greens during the 2018 US Open, was quite challenging. The green was lightning fast, and it was imperative to land the ball in the right spot, or else it would roll back or take the ball over the green.

Phil Mickelson was +10 for the event on day three and out of contention after front nine. On par 4 13th hole, he had an 18 feet bogey putt on a tricky green. Unfortunately, Mickelson misjudged the pace of the green and hit a firm putt, taking the ball towards the run-off area.

Phil Mickelson tried to bend the rules in his favor in the 2018 US Open

However, the southpaw quickly ran towards the ball and hit it again before it stopped moving. This move got him a two-stroke penalty for hitting a moving ball. But it ensured that the ball remained on the green and did not trickle down, which would have left him with a challenging chip for the next stroke.

According to some, this was a smart move, as chipping on these lightning-fast greens was a nightmare. However, many others criticized him severely, demanding his disqualification from the tournament.

---

Phil Mickelson stated the reason for hitting a moving ball

Despite trying to bend the rules in his favor, Phil Mickelson did not get much benefit as he walked off with a 10 for that hole and eventually scored +17 for the event.

"It was going to go down into the same spot, behind the bunker," he said. "I wasn’t going to have a shot. I don’t know if I would have been able to save a shot or whatnot, but I know it’s a two-shot penalty, hitting a moving ball.

"I tried to hit it as close to the hole as I could to make the next one, and you take the two shots, and you move on," Mickelson revealed.

The six-time Major winner did say that he did not mean to disrespect anybody but did not feel like going back and forth at that time.

Meanwhile, the governing body of the US Open, the USGA, could have disqualified Mickelson under the rule 33.7.

The former chief executive of USGA, David Fay, said he would have disqualified Phil Mickelson from the tournament. However, Mickelson moved on with just a penalty of two strokes and eventually finished T48 for the event.