SAN DIEGO — Phil Mickelson accepted a special exemption from the USGA with reason to believe this might be his last shot to finally win a U.S. Open.
Now he gets five more years, courtesy of his stunning victory last month at the PGA Championship that made him the oldest winner in 161 years of the majors.
The clock is still ticking, though.
Mickelson turns 51 Wednesday on the eve of the U.S. Open, and Lefty is leaving nothing to chance. He took a few days to celebrate his sixth major title, and then it was time to get to work.