SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. — At the stroke of midnight, Phil Mickelson would turn 48. But there he was on Friday, with the Shinnecock Hills practice green all to himself, searching in the gloaming for the one missing piece in his Hall of Fame career.
In the second round of his 27th United States Open, Mickelson chased his opening 77 with a one-under-par 69 to keep alive his dream of completing a career Grand Slam.
“I played a lot better today,” said Mickelson, who finished the day 10 strokes behind the leader, Dustin Johnson.
After making bogeys on two of the first three holes, Mickelson was nine over for the tournament and in danger of missing the cut.