Mickelson wanted to cry after miss

"I want to cry." That was Phil Mickelson's reaction when a lip-out at the 18th denied him a spot in golf history at The Open on Thursday.
Mickelson had the chance become the first player to card a 62 in a major if he had made a 16-foot birdie putt at the 18th. His putt looked perfect initially, but the American's jubilation soon turned to despair as the ball skimmed round of the edge of the cup, spun round and stayed out of the hole.
Mickelson was dejected after coming to within touching distance of an incredible feat, but admitted that he was pleased nonetheless with his first round performance. The 46-year-old became the 10th player to register a 63 at The Open, but his round was the lowest in an Open held at Royal Troon.
"It was a fun round," he told BBC Sport. "Yet I still walk away wanting to shed a tear with that putt lipping out.
"I had a chance to do something historical. With a foot to go I thought it was in – I am not sure how it missed. The heartbreak of that is overshadowing my round right now."
While Mickelson will be haunted by the missed putt, he can take some consolation from the fact that he holds a three-shot lead heading into the second round on Friday.
Mickelson acknowledged that there will be much expected of him in the second round, but he insisted that he has to ignore those expectations and focus on the task at hand.
"One of the biggest challenges is when you shoot a round like this, you start expectations running through your head and so forth, and that's the one thing that I'll have to try to suppress," he told reporters.
The American will tee off at 8.25am local time on Friday and may consider himself fortunate not to be playing later in the day as weather conditions are expected to take a turn for the worse.
"We'll have varying conditions tomorrow," he said. "It's going to be very difficult. Hopefully I've prepared myself well enough to tackle this golf course under those conditions and shoot a good number. A good number might be over par."
Latest
-
PGA Championship
Matt Fitzpatrick: Falling short at US PGA Championship ‘hurts a hell of a lot’
Fitzpatrick carded a closing three-over-par 73 to miss out on the play-off between eventual winner Justin Thomas and Will Zalatoris by two shots.
-
PGA Championship
Justin Thomas pays tribute to caddie Jim ‘Bones’ Mackay after his US PGA victory
Phil Mickelson’s former bagman gave Thomas a crucial pep talk after he shot 74 on Saturday.
-
PGA Championship
Tommy Fleetwood confident he is ‘coming out the other side’ after dip in form
Fleetwood finished in a tie for fifth at the US PGA Championship.
-
PGA Championship
Emotional Justin Thomas credits his experience for US PGA victory
Thomas also won the 2017 US PGA at Quail Hollow.
-
PGA Championship
Justin Thomas eclipses Will Zalatoris in play-off to claim second US PGA title
The former world number one’s victory equalled the biggest comeback in US PGA history.
-
PGA Championship
Rory McIlroy’s Sunday charge at US PGA Championship ends in disappointment
McIlroy’s closing 68 in Tulsa was followed by him declining to speak to waiting reporters.
-
PGA Championship
Paul McGinley says Tiger Woods deserves better than to be a ‘ceremonial golfer’
The 46-year-old withdrew from a major championship for the first time in his professional career at Southern Hills.
-
PGA Championship
Mito Pereira with three-shot lead at US PGA as Tiger Woods withdraws
It is the first time in his career that Woods has withdrawn from a major.
-
PGA Championship
Matt Fitzpatrick relishing chance at securing first major title
A third round of 67 means Fitzpatrick trails leader Mito Pereira by three shots at the US PGA Championship.
-
PGA Championship
Tiger Woods withdraws from US PGA following his worst round at event
The American made the halfway cut with a shot to spare at Southern Hills, but struggled to a nine-over-par 79 in the third round.