Dear Mr. Phillip \nMickelson,
Remember June 18, 2006?\nOf course you remember. How could you forget? You will never forget that Sunday.\nIt was late afternoon and you were walking off the 17th green. You had a one-shot lead with one hole to play. You were four measly strokes away from winning the U.S. Open Championship, a title you had dreamed of winning since childhood. \nWith one par away from victory, you decided to hit the driver, a choice the world heavily criticized. Your ball did a routine like one of those Larry Bird/Michael Jordan commercials (off the driver, through the tree, off the tent, to a tight lie in the rough behind a tree). One shot down.\nThen you tried to hook a 3-iron around the tree to the green (a shot that might have been as stupid as taking the driver off the tee), which ended up going roughly 25 yards. Two shots down.\nThen you hit a nicely distanced yet completely inaccurate shot into the left bunker. Three shots down. \nYour next shot was out of the bunker to the back of the green. Four shorts.\nPut to within three feet. Five shots down.\nTap in for second place. Six shots down.\nRemember? You had four or fewer shots to win, five shots to force a playoff or the six shots you took to pull the biggest choke job you’ve done since the multiple you had earlier in your career.\nRemember how you signed your scorecard and then just sat there for a while until you finally had the courage to talk to the media?\nRemember when you said, “I’m such an idiot”?\nRemember how you didn’t get beat – you literally gave the tournament away?\nLet me give you a tip as you tee off this afternoon with a shot of redemption: Forget it.\nForget it all.\nForget the 72nd hole at Winged Foot that should haunt you for eternity. Of course seeing as how this nightmare is unforgettable, at least forget it for these next four days.\nYou have a new beast to tackle. Oakmont will be one tough course. It is one of the toughest to host the U.S. Open in years. Part of its difficulty is due to its 288-yard par-3, the longest par-3 ever in a major. The other part is that it’s more than 7,200 yards and only a par-70. Par is a good score this week.\nBut Oakmont is beatable, and you can win this thing. \nI know you have a hurt wrist that will make the deep rough a challenge for you. I know you have that memory of June 18, 2006 (or what memory?). I also know you have this pretty good golfer named Tiger Woods who is fighting for the same trophy.\nBut put it all behind you and get in the driver’s seat. Take one shot at a time and put yourself in contention when you get to that 72nd tee.\nIf you learned anything from the June 18, 2006 tragedy, remember this: If you are at the 18th tee on Sunday, and you only need a par on the last hole to win the U.S. Open ...\nHit the 3-wood.
