Phil Mickelson out of the U.S. Open

Jay Hart
·Senior editor

ERIN, Wisconsin — Phil Mickelson is now officially out of the U.S. Open.

Mickelson formally withdrew Thursday morning. With no rain in the forecast at Erin Hills, the weather delay he needed to make it from his daughter’s high school graduation in San Diego to suburban Milwaukee in time for his scheduled 2:20 p.m. (CT) tee time was not going to happen.

Roberto Diaz, a 30-year-old from Mexico, will take his place.

Phil Mickelson won’t be chasing the U.S. Open this year. (Getty)
Phil Mickelson won’t be chasing the U.S. Open this year. (Getty)

Mickelson announced last week that his daughter’s high school graduation was scheduled for 10 a.m. (PT) Thursday morning, which created an immediate and obvious conflict for him in regards to playing in the U.S. Open. Though it’s the one major he’s never won, Mickelson said he could not miss the graduation, where his daughter Amanda will give the commencement address.

The hope for Mickelson was to attend the graduation, hop on a private jet and pray for rain. He estimated the need for a 4-hour delay. His caddie, Jim “Bones” Mackay, was on site here at Erin Hills, preparing as if the two would tee it up.

The USGA didn’t require Mickelson to make any formal announcement. He could have waited until his scheduled tee time, not shown up, and Diaz, who has been practicing at Erin Hills, would have stepped into his spot.

But when morning broke Thursday, the sun out, no rain in sight, Mickelson made the call to formally withdraw.

Mickelson had played in 23 consecutive U.S. Opens, in which he’s been a runner-up six times.

More U.S. Open coverage from Yahoo Sports:
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• Power rankings: Top 10 expert picks for Erin Hills
• Watch: Who wins at tough Erin Hills?
• Johnson ready for Open after birth of baby