Mickelson's title bid stands out at US Open

BROOKLINE, Mass. : Of all the storylines swirling ahead of this week's U.S. Open, none are as compelling as Phil Mickelson's latest bid to win the tournament for the first time.

The 156-player field for the year's third major, known as the toughest test in golf, features plenty of in-form players looking to build on impressive starts to the season but none will grab headlines like Mickelson will.

Mickelson has been a runner-up at the U.S. Open a record six times and his latest bid to complete a career Grand Slam comes a week after he emerged from a self-imposed hiatus to play in the first event of the Saudi-backed LIV Golf Invitational Series.

Mickelson was the toast of the golf world a year ago when, at age 50, he won the PGA Championship to become golf's oldest major champion but he has since come under fire over comments he made about the breakaway LIV circuit.

The six-times major champion will tee off at The Country Club outside Boston on Thursday under a cloud of uncertainty having not competed on the PGA Tour since January.

"That's going to be a challenge, right. It's the most difficult test in golf," said Mickelson.

"It was important for me to have a little bit of competitive golf last week and identify some of the areas of weakness. It was one of the worst putting tournaments I've had in years."

The 7,254-yard layout at Brookline will play as a par-70 and while it may not be long by modern PGA Tour standards it will command respect and challenge all aspects of a player's game.

There are many blind tee shots at Brookline and all will require accuracy due to the unforgiving rough that is customary for a U.S Open and could be five inches (12.7 cm) in some areas.

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