Phil Mickelson Earns US Open Exemption After Criteria Changes

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published 26 June 20

Lefty will once again have the chance to complete the career grand slam

Phil Mickelson Earns US Open Exemption After Criteria Changes

Phil Mickelson will get another chance to complete the career grand slam after earning an exemption into this year's US Open.

The six-time US Open runner-up has received a spot after the USGA made the world's top 70 on the 15th March, the final Official World Golf Ranking update before it was suspended, exempt for the tournament.

It was originally the top 60, and Mickelson was 61st at the time so was going to miss out.

However, with the qualification tournaments cancelled due to Covid-19, the USGA has been opening up exemptions.

Players ranked from 61st-70th at the time that have now earned spots, as well as Mickelson, include Eddie Pepperell, Robert MacIntyre, Lucas Herbert, Kurt Kitayama, Joel Dahmen and Keegan Bradley.

Mickelson has finished second on six occasions in his national Open, the only Major he is yet to win.

One of his most infamous runners-up finishes was at Winged Foot in 2006, where both he and Colin Montgomerie double-bogeyed the 18th to miss out by a shot to Geoff Ogilvy.

Winged Foot once again hosts this year, with the US Open taking place in September after being postponed from June.

Another new way to qualify for the year's second Major will be via the top 10 on the mini order or merit after the fifth event of the European Tour's upcoming UK swing.

The USGA is also offering spots to the top two finishers, that aren't already exempt, at every non-Major PGA Tour event from next month's Memorial Tournament until the Wyndham Championship in August.

The top five players in both Korn Ferry Tour regular-season and Finals points lists will earn spots, as will the top seven ranked players in the World Amateur Golf Ranking after the US Amateur as well as Order of Merit leaders on various international tours.

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Elliott Heath

Elliott Heath is our Senior Staff Writer and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016. He graduated in Sports Journalism in 2016 and currently manages the Golf Monthly news, courses and travel sections as well as our large Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. Elliott has interviewed some huge names in the golf world including Sergio Garcia, Thomas Bjorn, Bernd Wiesberger and Scotty Cameron as well as a number of professionals on the DP World and PGA Tours. He has also covered three Open Championships on-site including at Carnoustie in 2018 when he was inside the ropes with Tiger Woods. He has played 31 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Old Head and Alwoodley. He currently plays at West Byfleet Golf Club in Surrey, where his handicap index floats between 3-5. His golfing highlight is making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, and he has made one hole-in-one.

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