U.S. Open 2019: Phil Mickelson somehow misses 18-inch putt in opening round at Pebble Beach

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. — Phil Mickelson and U.S. Open; like oil and water. With the U.S. Open trophy looking increasingly beyond him, each year he does something stranger than the last. In 2018, it was his controversial swat at a moving ball. This year, in Round 1 he missed a putt so short it almost hurts to watch.

Phil 2018 vs. Phil 2019 pic.twitter.com/3zkTrYPflo

— LKD (@LukeKerrDineen) June 13, 2019

The missed putt came on Mickelson’s 3rd hole, his 12th of the day. He was playing pretty well at that point: even par and on the green in two on the par 4. That’s when he lagged his first putt to 18 inches. A mere formality from there, you’d think.

It wasn’t.

He stepped up, appeared to aim at the left edge, and hit the ball so firm that it lipped out hard and spun away. It was the second bogey of his round, and the most jaw-dropping moment during an otherwise unremarkable day.

Here’s the video. Cover your eyes!

Phil Mickelson misses “shortest putt of any player on this tour ever,” according to Paul Azinger, who may have a point … pic.twitter.com/wCGCL1isLl

— Christopher Powers (@CPowers14) June 13, 2019