"They're wrong" - When Phil Mickelson slammed critics who claimed he was devastated after a disastrous final round at Winged Foot

Phil Mickelson is considered one of the game's most legendary players. He has accomplished a lot in his career, winning six major championships.

The US Open is the only major Mickelson has yet to win, and he came close in 2006, only to fall short in the final round. The event was held at the Winged Foot Golf Club, and Mickelson sat atop the leaderboard on the final hole of the tournament, but a double bogey saw him fall to second place.

In an interview with Golf Digest in April 2009, Mickelson was asked if the loss had caused him emotional distress. And interestingly, the legendary golfer clearly denied that claim, stating:

"Yes, they're wrong. First of all, there's something about being in that position that's exciting, win or lose. That's why we play. Also, having won three majors before Winged Foot, I think it wasn't as devastating as it might have been. Obviously I want to win a U.S. Open. And I've come close."

Phil Mickelson continued:

"Now, if I never win a U.S. Open, I'll look back at my career and wish I had, whether it was Pinehurst [1999] or Shinnecock [2004] or Winged Foot or wherever. But I believe that won't be an issue, because I believe I will win an Open. I think I have a great chance at Bethpage. I like it a lot."

Fast forward to now, Mickelson is scheduled to compete in the upcoming 2025 U.S. Open on the PGA Tour.

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Phil Mickelson also discussed his performance at the 2008 U.S. Open

PGA Championship - Second Round - Source: Imagn

The 2008 US Open was held in Torrey Pines. This is where Phil Mickelson began his golf career as a kid, which is why he was one of the most anticipated players in this tournament. Although Mickelson performed decently, he was unable to win the event. He finished tied for 18th place with a total score of 290 (+6).

Mickelson discussed the tournament in the same interview, highlighting which factor led to his loss in this tournament. He stated:

"I might have put a little too much into it. But I putted poorly, like I putted most of last year, and struck the ball very poorly, too. At Winged Foot, I missed fairways with the driver. So, I thought I would try 3-wood off the tee at Torrey Pines, which I did the first two days. I thought if I could get in the fairway maybe 70 percent of the time, I'd have a chance to contend. But I hit less than 50 percent."

If Phil Mickelson manages to win the 2025 US Open, he would become the seventh player in history to complete a career grand slam.