Another second in hand, Mickelson turns attention to family

Phil Mickelson was obviously disappointed to have barely missed out on the U.S. Open title yet again. He's not too upset about this near-miss, though, because all his thoughts are with wife Amy.

By Helen Ross, PGATOUR.COM Chief of Correspondents

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. -- Sure, Hunter Mahan would have loved to have won the 109th U.S. Open. Who wouldn't?

But even though he didn't, Mahan was right where he wanted to be on Monday afternoon -- playing with his good friend Phil Mickelson in front of a rambunctious and reflective crowd at Bethpage Black.

"Personally, I would love to do that every year," Mahan said simply

And when the two were done, their U.S. Open dreams ended, Mahan could only stand back and applaud Mickelson, who was trying to write a storybook ending to a very public drama after his wife Amy was diagnosed with breast cancer a little more than a month ago.

Although the most recent reports from the doctors have been more positive than originally thought, Amy is to have surgery on July 1. She told her husband she wanted a big silver trophy to put in her hospital room and Mickelson did his best to oblige, only to finish second at the U.S. Open for the fifth time.

"Clapping for Phil, man," Mahan said when asked what he was doing beside the 18th green. "Can't imagine what he's going through, what he's thinking right now.  He played so hard.  I don't think I have seen him that intense. ou could just see his demeanor. 

"He's enjoying the crowd. He was so focused today.  And I was so proud of how he played.  It was inspiring to see a guy work that hard and try that hard for a championship and everything else."

Mickelson nearly got the job done, too. He had returned to Bethpage Monday morning trailing by six and 16 holes to play. When he rolled in that 5-footer for eagle at the par-5 13th, the big lefthander was tied for the lead with Lucas Glover at 4 under and his fans began to come alive.

And why not? Just 21 holes earlier, Mickelson had trailed by 12 strokes but now the people's choice was in command. He had the momentum -- and the smile and thumb's up signal he gave to the crowd showed he knew it, too.

Turns out, Mickelson couldn't give Amy or his fans what they wanted, though. He bogeyed the 15th and 17th holes to fall back into a tie for second -- his fifth runner-up finish and third in New York alone.

"It was a lot of ups and downs for me as far as a lot of birdies a lot of bogeys fighting to get into it, back out, back in it," Mickelson said. "Kind of an emotional four days or five days. ...
   
"I was standing on the eighth tee box (Monday) after a couple of bogeys at even par not looking good, and I fought back in it with that birdie on 9, birdie on 12 eagle on 13, and put myself in a great position to close it out.  But unfortunately I didn't finish it off.
   
"Certainly I'm disappointed, but now that it's over, I've got more important things going on."

Indeed. Mickelson was anxious to get home to San Diego to collect Amy and their three kids and embark on an island vacation, but he lingered as he always does to sign autographs for his many fans. When the trip is over, the waiting, which Mickelson said has been extremely difficult, will be, too.

And what about another second-place finish at the U.S. Open he so dearly wants to win? 

"I think maybe it's more in perspective for me," Mickelson said. "... I don't know where to go with this, because I want to win this tournament badly. ... And not surprisingly, I play well in this event and I enjoy this event.
   
"It's a challenge for me because it's difficult off the tee.  It's not as easy to get up and down around the greens, but I thought the way the courses have been set up the last couple of years, I feel I'll have more and more chances."

That's exactly what Mahan and Mickelson's fans wanted to hear.