US Open: Day to forget for Phil Mickelson after bizarre putting antics

Phil Mickelson’s 48th birthday took a bizarre twist on Saturday as he was penalised for deliberately hitting a moving ball in the third round of the US Open.

Mickelson, who was already four over par for the day, badly overhit a putt on the 13th green which looked in danger of rolling off the putting surface.

The five-time major winner prevented that from happening by running after the ball and hitting it while it was still rolling, a breach of rule 14-5 which incurs a two-shot penalty.

Commentating on the incident for Fox, former Ryder Cup captain Paul Azinger said: “That’s the most out of character I have ever seen Phil.

“I think he just snapped. I’m sure he is going to regret that.”

Two-time US Open champion Curtis Strange added: “He will feel some embarrassment because there are a lot of people and kids watching that really admire this guy.”

Mickelson’s score on the 13th was initially recorded as a nine but was later changed to a 10, leaving the left-hander 10 over par for the day and in a tie for 63rd.

The incident overshadowed the 66 from Daniel Berger which gave the chasing pack hope of catching leader Dustin Johnson at Shinnecock Hills.

Johnson held a four-shot lead over fellow Americans Scott Piercy and Charley Hoffman as he looks to claim a second US Open title in the space of three years.

History suggests the 33-year-old is an odds-on favourite to become only the second player after Tiger Woods to win while ranked world number one, with five of the previous six players to hold a halfway lead of four shots or more going on to win.

However, Berger’s score, which equalled the lowest of the week so far, proved that it was possible to make up ground, the world number 43 carding six birdies and two bogeys to move just outside the top 10.

PA