Sam Snead finished runner-up in four, never once winning the championship. Jack Nicklaus matched Snead with four second-place results; however, he won the event as many times.

Like Snead, Nancy Lopez also came in second-best in her national championship on four occasions, never once winning. While it’s true that these exercises in hollowness pale in comparison to the 19-year streak for futility of soap opera actress Susan Lucci, they are certainly gut-wrenching rewards that do not match the effort an energy dedicated by these golfing superstars to the annual showcase events of the United States Golf Association.

As many bitterly watched on Sunday, the gods of golf found a way to deny Phil Mickelson an inaugural Open championship of his own. Sunday, June 16, Bloomsday to the literary world, Father’s Day to many and 43rd birthday to Mickelson, brought another excruciating runner-up finish in a tournament he was desperate to win, that seemed destined to be his. In his own incomplete words, his finish at Merion was “very heart breaking.”

“This could have been the big [something] a really big turnaround for me on how I look at the U.S. Open and the tournament that I’d like to win, after having so many good opportunities,” Mickelson said after the round.

When a golfer searches for words “could have been the big…” the result could not have been more torturous.

Does it surprise you, then, that I predict that Phil Mickelson will win the 2014 U.S. Open? I write it with extreme confidence, for a number of reasons. If it’s facts you want, I have them. If it’s spiritual connections, I have those as well. My intent is to convince you that Phil’s town is not on Long Island (where he had three runner-up finishes), in Westchester county (one) or even the eponymous eastern Pennsylvania city of Phil-adelphia (one.) Phil’s star will finally shine bright in a small town known as the home of American golf in south-central North Carolina.

In 1999, a soon-to-be-30 and soon-to-be-a-daddy Phil Mickelson, outdueled a young Tiger Woods, only to have Payne Stewart enact the role of Harry Houdini and drain a monster 15-foot par putt on the 72nd hole to avoid a playoff and win the Open outright. In a moment frozen in time (and made all the more poignant and symbolic by Stewart’s untimely death less than six months later), Stewart grabbed Mickelson’s face in his hands and nearly shouted “You’re going to be a father, you’re going to be a father.” That Stewart chose to focus on Phil’s impending role as parent, rather than consolation for a job nearly well done, set in motion a spiritual trajectory that saw Mickelson through the birth of two other children and the personal health battles of his wife, son and mother.

Given that connection to Pinehurst (and ignoring the interim Open there in 2005, when Mickelson finished T33), is there any greater place for Mickelson to close fate’s circle than Pinehurst in 2014? I think not.

Fine, you don’t believe in spiritual connections. Let me suggest, then, that the “new” Pinehurst No. 2 sets up better than any other U.S. Open venue for Phil’s particular golfing phraseology. Since its restoration a year ago by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, Pinehurst No. 2 has returned to its Donald Ross origin of fairway width and manageable, sand-and-pine-straw rough. It is often written of Mickelson that he’d rather be in trouble, with an opportunity to manufacture a shot, than in the middle of the fairway, faced with a straightforward approach. At Pinehurst, he’ll be able to manufacture recovery shots in most situations, which might allow him to use driver with greater confidence.

Once you’re on the greens at Pinehurst No. 2, their contours and movements are for the most part negotiable. It’s the missing of the greens that causes consternation, followed by discomposure and vexation, for many competitors (channeling John Daly’s six–chip, are we?) Well, it’s for those very bumps, flops, spinners and nudges that Phil Mickelson is known. He handles a missed green with aplomb, knowing that he has either hit the recovery shot before or that he relishes the prospect of adding a new weapon to his stockpile.

You won’t need to give credit where it’s due (to me) nor sing of my clairvoyance for ages to come. The site of Phil phinally, sorry, finally hoisting the unnamed U.S. Open champion’s trophy will be reward enough for me and, I suspect, all of golf. And for those of you with scant knowledge of Susan Lucci, after 19 successive yet unsuccessful nominations for Best Actress in a soap opera, she finally won on her 20th attempt…in 1999.

Last year, Aussie Marc Leishman won for the first time on tour at the Travelers, edging 2010 Travelers Championship winner Bubba Watson and Charley Hoffman by one shot.

Leishman, Watson and Hoffman have returned to TPC River Highlands this year, along with Hunter Mahan, Rickie Fowler, U.S. Open winner Justin Rose, Jason Dufner, Harris English, Lee Westwood and many others who have their eyes on the tournament’s $1.08 million prize.

Check out the photos we shot below from the putting green and driving range at TPC River Highlands. Make sure to check back, as we’re updating this story with more photos every day.

Tuesday’s photos:

David Mathis, Doug LaBelle II, Richard Lee, Brendan Steele, Will Claxton, Ryan Moore, Kevin Streelman, Bobby Gates, Will Curran, Matt Every, Andres Gonzalez, George McNeil, Ben Kohles, Derek Ernst, Stephen Ames, William McGirt, Carl Pettersson, Angel Cabrera, Keegan Bradley, Kyle Bilodeau, Daniel Summerhays, Paul Haley II, Chris Kirk, Morgan Hoffman, Scott Stallings, Heath Slocum, Joey Snyder III, Charley Hoffman, Jason Dufner, Freddie Jacobson, Bo Van Pelt, Ken Duke, Greg Oven, Nicholas Thompson, Casey Wittenberg, Darron Stiles, Brian Gay, Scott Gardiner, Frank Lickliter, Donald Constable, Robert Streb, Kevin Streelman, Jonathan Byrd, Bud Cauley, Ben Crane, Vijay Singh, Rickie Fowler, Jim Herman, John Rollins, Colt Knost and more!

Click the buttons and links below to view each of the full photo threads in the forums.

Special Galleries

New TaylorMade Spider Mallet putter

Two new Rife putters (Iconic Vault 1 and Barbados)

Click here to see what members are saying in the “Travelers Championship Photo Discussion Thread.”

Click here to see what members are saying in the “Travelers Championship Photo Discussion Thread.”

The Spider Mallet appears to use the same technology as the Spider Blade (Click here to read the full story on Rose’s putter), but it has a larger half-mallet shape that could accomodate more head weight. That could make it a tweener between TaylorMade’s 355-gram Spider Blade and the 395-gram Daddy Long Legs putter.

Click here to see what members are saying about the Spider Mallet in the forums.

Click here to see what members are saying about the Spider Mallet in the forums.

Rose used a TaylorMade Spider Blade putter to win his first major championship at Merion Golf Club, TaylorMade’s newest putter that has a heavier head and heavier grip to give the putter more stability than the company’s standard putters.

According to Brian Bazzel, TaylorMade’s product creation manager, Rose loves the look and the feel of the Spider Blade. But what he likes more is the ease with which he can “release,” or square up the putter at impact.

To fine tune the release, Rose had the putter made to 37 5/8 inches. But Rose doesn’t play the putter at that length. He does what he likely did the first time he ever picked up a putter as a child; he chokes up.

According to Bazzel, choking up on a counter-balanced putter gives the putter more stability, as the added weight of the grip and shaft above the hands raises the putter’s balance point. Since Rose prefers standard putters that measure 34.5 inches, he chokes down about three inches, which makes the putter feel normal to him.

The last thing Rose needed to do before putting the Spider Blade in play was deciding on a neck for the putter. TaylorMade offers two different necks for the Spider Blade — an “L,” or “plumber’s neck,” which is better for straighter strokes, and a “short slant” neck that is better for strokes with more face rotation. Rose’s putting coach, David Orr, said that Rose needs the added rotation that the short slant neck provides because it improves the consistency of his release.

Rose feels more confident with the Spider Blade than his other putters, Orr said, because instead of trying to release the toe of the putter during the stroke, he feels like he can “release the entire putter.”

“We’re really pleased with the putter,” Orr said. “It made his posture better, so he can see his line better. And it lets his stroke flow a little better.”

According to Bazzel, Rose’s U.S. Open-winning Spider Blade is the most off-the-rack putter that Rose has used in his career. It features the same PureRoll Suryln insert available on the retail Spider Blade,  and aside from a slightly different graphics scheme, the same 15-inch, 130-gram grip.

For golfers seeking even more stability than the Spider Blade can provide, TaylorMade offers its Daddy Long Legs putter (Click here for our full review). The Daddy Long Legs is larger, and has a heavier head than the Spider Blade. It is not available with a short slant neck, however, meaning it is best for straighter strokes. Both putters cost $199, and are available in 35- and 38-inch lengths.

Rose’s Spider Blade Putter Specs:

• Loft: 3.5 degrees
• Lie: 70.5 degrees
• Head weight: 358 grams (3 grams heavier than retail)
• Shaft: 122 grams (TaylorMade tour-only matte black shaft finish)
• Grip: 130 grams
• Total Weight: 610 grams

Click here to see the specs of all the clubs in Rose’s bag.

Reasons for participating may include:

• I want to get out with friends/family.
• I want to get out of mowing the lawn.
• I like to get outside and exercise.
• I’m addicted!
• I have a challenge I have set myself and I need to reach it.
• I conduct a lot of business out on the course.
• It’s my career.
• I want to let off some steam!

But I am sure that past all of these, the goal of the competitive game of golf is “to get the little white ball into the slightly larger hole, in the minimum number of shots.” I think a useful idea for many golfers would be to go out and play with this in mind!

The swing is one hugely important part of the equation of playing great golf. But unfortunately that is it; it is just one part and not the only thing that needs attention when trying to lower your score.

Let’s say you are a professional caddy working with a player in a competition. Depending on the player you work with, you may be expected to help out with club selection, assessing the lie of the ball, suggesting the most worthwhile area of the fairway/green to aim for, fitting a game plan to a player’s particular strengths, checking the wind, slope, humidity and a whole host of other things which may affect the ball flight. You will often be expected to be aware of normal carry distances of the selected club and then be able to compute all of this to help the player come up with the best plan to play the shot at hand. As a caddy, your attention must be on almost everything, apart from manufacturing the swing; that is the player’s job after all!

Well, if we step back into reality for the majority of golfers, you are not privileged enough to have a caddy to help you make these decisions and instead you must make them yourself.

Unfortunately, many of these decisions are never made, as the attention is instead placed solely on “how to swing the club.”

While spending time with some of my players on the course, I observe a lot of other golfers playing. What I have seen often is lots of attention on swing technique at the expense of attention to all of the other factors, which may have as much or more impact on their score. It is invariably too late to make major technical changes when you’re on the course you will see why this is not the best strategy.

Instead, take note of what Tiger Woods says about often having to battle hard and win with what he describes as his “B” or “C” game. When he is striking the ball less than perfect, he makes sure that through sharp decision making and management of his golf ball, he can still compete and score well by calculating his risks and playing with the golf swing he has turned up with that day.

If this doesn’t seem to make sense, think about another sport. Take a basketball player about to attempt a three-pointer and have him think solely about his technique. Without a clear look at the target and being aware of what trajectory he needs to both make the shot and avoid those attempting to block it, I think you will agree that the likelihood of him making the shot decrease. The whole picture needs to be considered to give the highest possible chance of success.

A “perfect” golf swing and “pure” strike that goes straight at the target are of little value if you have gone for a sucker-pin and go even just a few yards too long.

Next time you play, I suggest spending time in what is often called the”‘think box” prior to the shot. Here, golfers decide the best way to play the shot at hand and never allow themselves more than one one swing thought for the shot they will play.

Then, once all the decisions have been made, step out of this box, get over the golf ball and step into the “play box.” As the name suggests, PLAY GOLF!

Click here to read all the related discussion in the forums.

The scorecard is a weekly wrap up of the most important numbers from the previous week’s PGA Tour event. 

The Front Nine

75 – Percentage of fairways winner Justin Rose hit for the week — tied for second in the field.

4 — Number of three putts by Justin Rose this week, making him the first U.S. Open winner to have four three-putts since Michael Campbell in 2005 at Pinehurst.

300.4 — Rose’s average driving distance in yards for the week, 15th in the field.

50 — Rose’s greens in regulation for the week (out of 72). Tied for seventh in the field.

32 — Age in years of Justin Rose. His first major victory came in his 222nd start on Tour.

7 — Number of international players to win the U.S. Open in the past 10 years.

1.67 — Rose’s average putts per hole for the week, tied for 16th in the field.

0 — The number of spikes in Rose’s Ashworth Cardiff golf shoes. His U.S. Open win makes him the first golfer in history to win a major without metal or soft spike cleats in his shoes.

33 — Combined strokes over par for the final four groups Sunday. Players in those groups: Jason Day, Billy Horschel Luke Donald, Justin Rose, Steve Stricker, Charl Schwartzel, Hunter Mahan, Phil Mickelson.

The Back Nine

67 — Jason Dufner’s final-round score, vaulting him into a tie for fourth.

5 — Number of times Jason Day has now finished in the top-10 in the 10 majors he’s completed (WD at the 2012 Masters).

87.5 — Percent of fairways Hunter Mahan hit for the week.

10 — Position Hideki Matsuyama tied for at the 2013 U.S. Open. He leapfrogged 29 places on the leaderboard Sunday with a final-round 67.

2 — The number of double bogies Phil Mickelson made in the first five holes at Merion on Sunday.

74.54 — Cumulative scoring average at Merion for the week. The course, which played at 6,869 yards during the final round, had long been considered too short (and the venue to small) to host a U.S. Open

57 – Number of consecutive starts in majors by Sergio Garcia, the longest active streak.

17 — Finishing position amateur Michael Kim tied for. It was the best finish by an amateur.

6 – The number of top-10 finishes Billy Horschel has on Tour this year, following his T4 finish this week.

Sunday at Merion, a teary-eyed Rose gave his dad one more, lifting the 113^th U.S Open trophy toward the heavens as a first time major champion, dedicating his Merion victory to dad on Father’s Day.

“I think a lot of us came from great men and we have the responsibility to show them what great men can be,” Rose said afterwards. “For it to all work out for me on such an emotional day, I couldn’t help but look up and think my old dad Ken had something to do with it.”

Rose’s dad did have something to do with it. But that began long before Rose was the last man standing at the 2013 Merion bloodbath. Ken and Annie Rose (Justin’s mom) taught Rose very early in life the virtues of patience and discipline. And Rose was put to the test right away.

The day after holing out a wedge on the 72nd hole of the 1998 British Open to finish in a tie for fourth, the 17-year-old amateur prodigy turned pro. He was unceremoniously baptized by missing the cut in his first 21 professional events.

“When I was missing 21 cuts in a row, I was just trying not to fade away, really,” Rose said.  “My learning curve has been steep from that point. I sort of announced myself on the golfing scene probably before I was able to handle it. And golf can be a cruel game.”

Only a few years later, Rose learned life can be a cruel game as well when his father passed away at the young age of 57. Rose struggled through four winless years after his father’s death, but he never stopped believing in himself. He knew he had the talent and drive needed to succeed. And most importantly, Rose refused to quit.

“Definitely I have had the ups and downs,” Rose said. “But I think that ultimately it has made me stronger and able to handle the situations like today.”

And did Rose ever handle it at Merion. On a day when World No. 1 Tiger Woods posted his career-worst U.S Open round score, World No. 2 Rory McIlroy bent his iron into a walking cane after two consecutive shots found water, and now six-time U.S. Open runner-up Phil Mickelson came unhinged by uncharacteristically poor wedge play, Rose wrote a new chapter in Merion’s storied wicker basket history.

On his way to becoming the first Englishman to win the U.S Open in 43 years, Rose played all four days at Merion without a single double bogey, and was tied with fellow Englishman Luke Donald and Australian Jason Day for the most birdies in the field, including five on Sunday.

But perhaps no where was Rose’s mental toughness on display more than the last hole. Knowing there was a good possibility he needed par on No. 18 for victory, Rose split the fairway with his driver, setting the stage for the shot of the tournament.

“When I walked over the hill and saw my drive sitting perfectly in the middle of the fairway, with the sun coming out, it was almost fitting,” Rose said. “And I just felt like at that point it was a good iron shot on to the green, two putts, like Hogan did, and possibly win this championship.”

Just five yards away from the iconic plaque that commemorates Hogan’s immortalized 1-iron approach in 1950, Rose took out his 4-iron and envisioned hitting the shot that Hogan did. He succeeded.

Rose hit a spectacular shot that rolled just past the pin and off the green. Rose then used a 3 wood to bump the ball to within an inch of the cup for a tap in par that ultimately secured his first major championship.

The outpouring of congratulations all over social media since Rose won is unprecedented this season. One of the first to congratulate Rose was the English Prime Minister David Cameron, who tweeted:

I’m proud of @JustinRose99 – winning #USOpen. Let’s hope it heralds the start of another spectacular sporting summer

— David Cameron (@David_Cameron) June 17, 2013

Rose would later say he just wanted to conduct himself in a way that would have made his father proud of him, win or lose. And while the U.S. Open win puts Rose now on hallowed ground, I have no doubt Ken Rose has been proud of his son since the day he was born.

Bag setup was one of the parts of the game I was very interested in when I started doing my statistical research. And from my experience, even Tour players have a variety of opinions on what type of bag setup to use come tournament time.

In my debut column for GolfWRX, I discussed that if you broke the game down into more finite details, you will see that shots from what I call “The Danger Zone” (approach shots from 175 to 225 yards) have the strongest mathematical correlation to success on Tour.

There are many ways to “skin a cat” when it comes to lowering a golfer’s score, but those who struggle from the Danger Zone are putting themselves behind the 8-ball and will require better play from the other facets of the game to make up for that deficiency.

With that said, I wanted to look at what the best Danger Zone players on Tour were carrying for a bag setup. To do this, I  looked at the number of irons each player carried in 2010, 2011 and 2012:

Note: I left out the sixth-ranked player from the Danger Zone in 2010, Jay Williamson, due to being unable to find any record of his bag setup in 2010.

Here is the final tally of bag setups for the players listed:

As we can see, the overwhelming majority of Tour players carry a bag setup of a 3 iron through pitching wedge. The rest mostly carry a bag setup of 4 iron through pitching wedge. And only one player in the list used a bag setup of 5 iron through pitching wedge — Graeme McDowell.

What this means is that Tour players are carrying fewer wedges and/or fewer hybrids than the average amateur. I feel most of that has to do with their skill level, which alters the purpose of long irons, hybrids and gap wedges with relationship to their game.

First, the thing that sticks out with the top Danger Zone players is that they typically make sure to have their yardage gaps tight from their 3-wood to the long irons. This means that there is usually no wide gaps between long clubs, like a player having a 3 wood and then the next club being a 3 iron. They typically have another club in-between the two like a hybrid or a 5-wood. And they usually end up not using a gap wedge in order to make sure they have the proper gaps for their long approach shots.

The reason why this works is that Tour players are skilled enough that if they get into a situation where they are in-between wedges and could use a gap wedge, they can simply take some distance off with their pitching wedge, or hit their sand wedge a little harder. They’re skilled and creative enough to still hit very good shots when they do this. But, when they get into a situation where they are in-between clubs from long distance, it is much more difficult for them to execute a shot by hitting a “soft” 3-wood or a “hard” 3 iron.

Another interesting aspect is the average club head speed of the players with the certain aspect as noted in this chart:

As we can see, the more irons the top Danger Zone players carry in their bags, the higher their club head speed is.

From my experience of discussing bag setups with Tour players, they feel that the irons are more precise and accurate than hybrids. However, if they want to increase their odds of consistently hitting a shot the furthest, they prefer hybrids over irons.

So, if they get on a long par-3 where they may have some difficulty clearing the water, they are apt to pull out the hybrid instead of a long iron in order to increase their odds of doing so. But if there is no trouble that they have to carry, they are likely want to use a long iron so they can hit a shot closer to the hole. And that explains why golfers who uses 2 iron-through-pitching wedge setups have super high clubhead speeds. They simply have little difficulty carrying any trouble in front of them because they hit it so far.

Therefore, I feel that hybrids should be considered more of an “advancement” club than anything for all golfers. For the Tour player, they need the hybrid if they are trying to advance the ball from a bad lie or if they are trying to ensure that they advance a ball over trouble like water, a bunker or other types of hazards.

For the average amateur, they are not likely to be able to hit a long approach close to the hole and can even struggle to find the green from long distance. Therefore, they are better off carrying more hybrids just so they can be more consistent in their ability to advance the ball toward the hole. If they have a 180-yard shot, they will be better off using a club that they will consistently hit in excess of 170 yards even if it causes them more issues with directional control.

In the end, whether the golfer is 2013 U.S Open winner Justin Rose or 20-handicap Joe Smith, their game can benefit from a proper bag setup that matches their ability.

Driver: TaylorMade R1 (9.25 degrees)
Shaft: Matrix Ozik Black Tie 6M3X (45.5 inches, tipped 1 inch)
Lie: 60.5 degrees, Weights: 4 heel, 12 toe
Face angle: 6 degrees open (measured), Swing Weight: D4.5

3 Wood: TaylorMade RBZ Stage 2 Tour HL (16.5 degrees, set to 14.5 degrees)
Shaft: Matrix Ozik Black Tie 7M3X (43.5 inches, tipped 1.5 inches)
Face angle: 5 degrees open (measured), Lie: 59.5 degree, Swing Weight: D4.5

Irons: TaylorMade RocketBladez Tour Version F (3-6) TaylorMade Tour Preffered MB (7-PW)
Shafts: KBS C-Taper S+ Flex, Swing Weight: D3.5-4

Wedges: TaylorMade ATV (52, 56, and 60 Degrees)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold S400 Tour Issue
Swing Weight: D4.25 (52), D5 (56), D6 (60)

Putter: TaylorMade Spider Blade Prototype
Length: 37 5/8 Inches
Loft: 3.5 Degrees
Lie: 70.5 Degrees
Head weight: 358 grams
Shaft: 122 grams
Grip: 130 grams (15 inches)

Ball: TaylorMade Lethal

Click here to see Rose’s full equipment specification sheet from TaylorMade.

Click here to see what members are saying in the “Pro Player WITB” forum

Click here to see what members are saying in the “Pro Player WITB” forum

Two double bogies sandwiching a birdie, followed five holes later by a hole-out eagle from the rough kept Phil Mickelson in the hunt. Two six-hole stretches made up of birdies, bogies and one slim par joined Justin Rose to the fray. Thirteen pars and one bogey to start his round might have done the trick for Hunter Mahan, were they not immediately followed by a double-bogey six on No. 15. And star-crossed Aussie Jason Day, opening two strokes better than par over his first 10 holes, closed this U.S. Open as he did this year’s Masters, with too many bogies and no birdies for another excruciating, top-three finish in a major.

As the shadows grew longer, Justin Rose fulfilled the promise inherent in the unabashed jubilation of an 17-year old in 1998. There, at Royal Birkdale, the English teenager holed a long pitch from the rough on the 72nd> hole to finish tied for fourth, suggesting that he would rise to certain prominence. He did, but for reasons he would prefer to forget. Throughout those 21 consecutive missed cuts that started his professional career was forged the determination to succeed as a professional. Rose would win European Tour events, World Golf championships and FedExCup playoff tournaments, and shine for Europe in the Ryder Cup, but he would not win a major until fate called his reservation at Merion.

Click here to see the clubs Rose used to win the U.S. Open at Merion.

From nearly the time that Rose began his professional trek, Mickelson began to match the great Sam Snead in an ignominious fashion: he collected second-place finishes at U.S. Open Championships. Five in fact, in a variety of fashions. He lost to the late Payne Stewart’s final golfing miracle in 1999, twice at Bethpage Black (2002 and 2009) and twice more in the state of New York, 2004 at Shinnecock and 2006 at the famous “I am an idiot” Winged Foot tournament. In a city apparently named for him (Philadelphia), during a week where he proved his worth as a father by flying cross-country twice before teeing off on Thursday, Phil Mickelson added a sixth runner-up finish in the U.S. Open, his second by two fragile strokes, all six by a total of 11 inconsiderate shots.

After crushing a career drive up the center of the fairway, just a few yards shy of the Hogan plaque, followed by an exquisite iron just past the hole on No. 18, Rose nearly chipped in, leaving his birdie effort on the lip. He gave hope to Mickelson, whose own approach to No. 18 from the left rough came up 20 yards shy of the putting surface. Buoyed by the crowd’s chant of “Let’s go Phil,” the left hander from the left coast surveyed every inch of the trajectory between himself and the hole, placed the ball back in his stance, sent Bones, his caddy, to tend the flag, then slid the pitch inches to the side, harmlessly past the jar.

It should be written that the final two hours of a proper major golf championship make the viewing public forget the first three and three-quarter days. The Masters is famous for the saying that its championship does not begin until the final nine on Sunday. Lost among the heroics of the final hours at Merion were the gallons of rain water that saturated the course in the weeks and days leading up to the championship.

Momentarily ignored was Merion’s return to the U.S. Open stage, mere decades after it was relegated to lesser tournaments, shunned by men’s championship golf for being too brief and quirky an experience. Briefly forgotten were the heroics of Charl Schwarzel, Steve Stricker, Hunter Mahan and Luke Donald, replaced by nearly-innumerable scorecards at 6-over, 7-over and higher.

Since 1970, when Tony Jacklin hoisted the trophy named for no one in particular at Hazeltine in Minnesota, great names from England had tried and failed to emulate him. Nick Faldo, Lee Westwood, Luke Donald, Paul Casey and others made valiant runs at the title, but to no avail. In 2013, on No. 13 of the final round, Rose took the lead for good and brought the train into the station. At the awards ceremony, USGA President Glen Nather hung the Nicklaus champion medal around his neck and the dream became reality. “Oh boy,” he exclaimed.

Oh boy, indeed. Philadelphia is now his town.

Complying with the rules of the USGA, the club was deemed “unfit” for play, and McIlroy was forced to continue his round with only 13 of the 14 clubs he started with.

He usually displays a calm demeanor on the course, but I suppose everyone has their breaking points. Unfortunately for Nike CEO Phil Knight and McIlroy’s fans and followers, we found out today the breaking point of his new irons.

Following his exorbitant Nike endorsement deal in the offseason, Rory has been anything but stellar in 2013. A second-place finish at the Valero Texas Open and a T8 at The Players Championship have been the high points of his season. He’s been out of contention for the first two major championships, and most of his PGA Tour stops throughout the year.

Early in March, McIlroy withdrew from the Honda Classic citing a toothache, but he admitted afterward that it had more to do with his on course struggles and mental state than incoming Wisdom teeth.

A multi-million dollar endorsement deal may not be able to buy maturity, but at least he can afford to buy a new iron.

3 Wood: Callaway X Hot 3Deep
Loft: 13 Degrees
Shaft: Mitsubishi Rayon Fubuki K 70X
Length: 43.25 Inches

5 Wood: Titleist 980F
Loft: 19 Degrees
Shaft: Graphite Design PM 902 X-Flex
Length: 42.25 Inches

Irons: Callaway X Forged 2013 (4-PW)
Shafts: KBS Tour V1 (3 and 4 irons), KBS Tour V2 Shafts (5-PW)

Wedges: Callaway X Series Jaws (52, 56), Callaway Mack Daddy 2 (60, 64)
Shafts: KBS Tour V2 Shafts

Putter: Odyssey Versa #9 (White/Black/White) with milled sight line in flange
Length: 34 inches
Loft: 3.5 degrees
Lie: 75 degrees
Grip: SuperStroke Slim 3.0 (Black/White)

Ball: Callaway HEX Chrome +

Click here to say what people are saying in the “Pro Player WITB” Forum

Click here to say what people are saying in the “Pro Player WITB” Forum

After third-round 70, Mickelson leads by a stroke over Hunter Mahan (69), Charl Schwartzel (69) and Steve Stricker (70) and by two strokes over Justin Rose (71), Luke Donald (71) and Billy Horschel (72).

Rounding out the top 10, Jason Day (68) is three shots behind, Rickie Fowler (67) is four behind and 19-year-old amateur Michael Kim (71) is five off Mickelson’s lead. Tiger Woods struggled to a 76 and is 10 shots off the lead, tied for 31st place.

Mickelson’s round got off to a shaky start with bogies on Nos. 3 and 5, but he made three back-nine birdies before a closing bogey on the par-4 No. 18, which played 530 yards in Saturday’s round and yielded no birdies, with a scoring average close to a full stroke over par.

And so Mickelson, who will turn 43 Sunday, has once again thrust himself into the spotlight of major championship pressure in an event where he has a record five times finished in second place. Mickelson’s four major championships — three Masters and a PGA Championship — have assured his place in golf’s pantheon, but for him to win the trophy whose absence has defined his recent golf résumé would be one of golf’s most triumphant stories of all time. And so it is fitting that the man with seemingly both the most to gain and the most to lose is leading the U.S. Open through 54 holes.

But that is not to say that a Mickelson win is the only great potential scenario that could unfold Sunday. A win for Stricker would be historic as he would be both the oldest man to win a U.S. Open and the oldest first-time major winner. A win by Rose, Mahan or Donald would allow them to shake away “Best Player Without a Major” whispers. Wins by Horschel, Fowler or Day would continue to herald the youth movement evident in professional golf and bring them into company with Rory McIlroy.

McIlroy, paired with Tiger Woods, struggled to a five-over par 75 and will in all likelihood have to wait a few weeks to try for his third major championship victory.

Saturday’s proceedings showed how excellent a U.S. Open site Merion has proved to be. The leader board is stocked with players of all types, showing that no one type of game has a clear advantage at one of the world’s greatest courses.

Two players began the day under par for the tournament, and the course’s enticing middle section brought a few more players under par — into and around the lead — before punishing them with the finishing stretch, which to this point is harder than any other in U.S. Open history. No. 18 alone extracted a double bogey from Luke Donald, a triple bogey from Nicolas Colsaerts (5-over, T11) and five further bogies from the last three threesomes.

Sunday will be another brutal challenge that will, excepting a tie and a Monday playoff, leave all but one player atop the ash heap. No matter who ultimately wins, the remainder of the tournament will reveal an exhausted but all-deserving champion.

Driver: TaylorMade R1 (8.5 Degrees)
Shaft: Accra XC65X (43.5 inches)

3 Wood: TaylorMade Rocketballz Stage 2 (set to 14 degrees)
Shaft: Accra XC75X (43 inches)

Irons: Mizuno MP-H4 (2,3) MP 64 (4-PW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold S300

Wedges: Mizuno MP- T4 (54-9, 60-5)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Spinner Shafts

Putter: Odyssey White Hot #7 H
Length: 33 inches

Golf Ball: Titleist Pro V1X

Driver: TaylorMade R1
Loft: 10.5 Degrees
Shaft: Fujikura Motore Speeder VC 6.0 X-Flex (TaylorMade TP Graphics)
Grip: Golf Pride Tour Velvet

3 Wood: TaylorMade RBZ
Loft: 14.5 Degrees
Shaft: Aldila RIP Phenom 70 Tour X (TaylorMade TP Graphics)

Hybrid: TaylorMade Rescue ’11 TP
Shaft: Accra Dymatch by UST Mamiya S3-95 M5

Irons: TaylorMade MB (3-PW)
Weights: Red Weight Ports
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold X100 Tour Issue

Wedges: Cleveland Tour Action REG.588 (54, and 58 Degrees)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold S400 Tour Issue

Putter: Scotty Cameron Studio Select Newport

Click here to see more pics and read the discussion

Click here to see more pics and read the discussion

Growing up, I was timid, weak and very shy. I was a product of the fear and humiliation I suffered growing up. Fear of being mentally and physically abused by my classmates. I was made fun of because of my situation in life. I grew up poor in a rich town and wore the wrong clothes, had the wrong haircut and rode a piece of junk bicycle. My self confidence could not be measured it was so low.

As a child, I would rarely engage in speaking to people I did not know. I was uncomfortable being around kids my age and found it difficult to make friends. I was self conscious about every aspect of my being.

The teasing and mental abuse grew as I waded my way through middle school.

Burned in my memory is the thought of wanting to be like everyone else, to fit in. I wanted to be accepted for who I was and not fear the first period in school. Years went by, and I only became more withdrawn.

Today, I don’t know why I wanted to be accepted so bad by these punks.

One day when I was around 12 years old, my grandfather asked if I wanted to go to the golf course with him. He had been trying to get me to play golf for awhile and I always said no.

This time though, I said yes.

My grandfather was my rock, my guiding light, my hero.

My grandfather was a relatively short man who was a tumbler (gymnast) in his younger years. He could still walk on his hands and do flips off a diving board well in to his 60s. His forearms were made of stone and he had thick beautiful silver hair.

We got in his car and drove to Lake Hefner Golf Course in Oklahoma City. I don’t remember much other than how everyone in the clubhouse and driving range knew my grandfather, as if he were a rock star or celebrity. It made me proud to know my grandfather was accepted and respected by these men.

Soon after, my grandfather appeared at my house with a cut down set of golf clubs. Nothing special, a bit rusty, worn grooves and grips that made an old set of worn tires look new. I remember just staring at them and finding them difficult to swing, let alone hit a ball where I wanted it to go.

Time passed, but my grandfather was far from giving up on me. Each time he would come over, he would give me an easy tip.

“Hold the club like this, stand like this, eventually it will all become second nature,” he would say.

In my neighborhood, our home had a tiny yard. There really wasn’t anywhere to strike a golf ball except for our local neighborhood park. I guess all those subtle tips my grandfather gave me had taken hold. I don’t really remember, but I must have practiced holding and standing with the club off an on in my bedroom.

One afternoon after school, I went down to the park with my friend Randy to hit golf balls. Neither of us had a clue what we were doing, but we played our first round of golf. We named the holes like they do at Augusta. Our holes were named more after actual objects though than flowers, “basketball pole” or the “short tree next to the big one.”

The next time I saw my grandfather, I asked him to teach me a little more.

I remember him showing me how to grip the club lightly, as if I were holding a baby bird. Then he issued a challenge,

“When you can hit the practice green at the driving range 6 out of 10 times, then we can think about playing 9 holes.”

Weeks went by. My friend Randy and I were playing almost every day after school. The driving range wasn’t a real option for us at the time due to the expense. So we practiced in our local park.

Finally, grandfather took me to the driving range. I was pretty nervous as we pulled in to the course. I was afraid I would let my grandfather down and I would embarrass him in front of his friends.

The green was roughly 50 or 60 yards away, but seemed like 1,000 miles. The green was oversized and the ground was flat. Even a skulled shot had a chance of making it. That day, I was able to hit the green almost every time.

Something began to change inside of me, although I didn’t realize it at the time. Golf was working its magic. The result of every shot is the direct response to what happens before you strike the ball. Meeting my grandfather’s challenge, easy now as I look back, was a life-changing event.

Time went by and my grandfather would praise my progress athletically. This built my confidence and enjoyment of the game. The more I practiced, the better I got. For once in my life, I felt a sense of pride.

My passion for the game increased.

Like any young boy, I would lose my temper and get angry when I would make a triple or double or even quadruple bogey. I equated the score on the card with who I was. Grandfather was quick to remind me, “Forget that last shot, all that matters is the next.”

It took years to fully appreciate the lessons my grandfather and the game were teaching me. Getting mad just makes the game even more difficult. The game is hard enough on its own, let alone pouring more difficulty on top of it.

It wasn’t until my early 30s when I figured out what a great gift my grandfather had given me. These lessons have made me strong inside and out.

The truth the ball reveals is the kindest thing it can ever do for you. Life in general isn’t perfect, neither is a round of golf.

Play it where it lies.

Everything worth having is something you have to fight and claw to get. Whenever I have a terrible round, I remember the words of my grandfather and I leave with a little smile remembering the wonderful times we had together.

Golf has been paramount for building my self esteem, my self worth, my self pride.

I have never met a good golfer who does not have a high level of self respect and pride. Golf has made them stronger mentally. When I play with golfers who kick their balls out of trouble, or fudge the scorecard, I see them exposing their true inner being, their character.

These people have not learned the lessons golf is trying to teach them. Perhaps they did not have a wise grandfather guiding them on their golf journey.

A low score is just for ego. Score doesn’t really matter. How you carry yourself during a match is the true revelation. How you respond to adversity, pressure and even a lousy round is what matters.

This game of golf has taught me self confidence and pride. Through golf, I was able to reinvent myself.

Thank you Bill Lewis, words can not express my gratitude for the gifts given.

Happy Father’s Day.

“You must be very good golfers.”

At the time of Friday’s suspension of play due to darkness, the projected numbers of 63 and 64 were nowhere to be found and Billy Horschel and Phil Mickelson were the lone players under par to lead the 113th U.S. Open. Nearly 70 players will resume play Saturday morning to finish their second rounds.

Horschel’s outstanding round of 67 on Friday highlighted the day’s play, as the University of Florida product hit all 18 greens in regulation en route to a two-round score of 1-under, 139. Horschel carded birdies on Nos. 2, 10, 11 and 18 to his one bogey on the short par-3 No. 13 and enjoyed the remainder of the afternoon as the field took on a Merion, which got tougher as the day went on.

Mickelson, who held a one-shot lead over Luke Donald and Matthew Goggin after a first-round 67, carded a 2-over 72 on the day. His sole birdie came on No. 18, pulling him into a tie with Horschel for the tournament lead. The five-time runner-up in the U.S. Open began his second round with another three-putt bogey at the first. Mickelson’s round included some stellar iron play, but a failure to convert birdie putts. Back-to-back bogies on Nos. 12 and 13 were the only other blemishes on his card.

Steve Stricker and Justin Rose carded the only other under-par scores for Round 2 thus far, both shooting 1-under 69. There have only been eight under-par rounds for the tournament. The pair both sit at level par for the tournament, currently placing them in a five-way tie for third. Ian Poulter and amateur Cheng-Tsung Pan are also in the group at level par, and are under par for Round 2, but will have to play four and nine holes, respectively, before completing their scorecards.

Stricker worked his way to a relatively clean score card, posting three birdies and just two bogies. Rose did the same, with two of his birdies coming back-to-back on holes Nos. 1 and 2.

Half the field began play at 7:15 a.m. ET in order to finish their first rounds, only to turn around quickly and begin their second rounds of competition.

Donald started Round 2 on No. 11 and proceeded to card birdies on Nos. 12 and 13 to take the lead at 4-under. But, Donald, sixth in the Official World Golf Rankings, posted a bogey on No. 15, then five more on his final eight holes. Birdies on Nos. 3 and 9 (both par-3s) helped Donald finish the day at even par, where he sits tied for third.

Goggin, tied for second after 18 holes, finished Round 2 with a 74, falling to 2-over for the tournament.

The featured 1-2-3 group of Tiger Woods, McIlroy and Adam Scott faced a fast turnaround, finishing Round 1 at 9:20 a.m. and teeing off Round 2 at 10:44 a.m.

Scott played the final seven holes of Round 1 in five over, taking him from 3-under to 2-over for the tournament. His second round didn’t get much better, as the Masters champ shot a 5-over 75 with his lone birdie coming on No. 13. He is currently 7-over for the round, inside the projected cutline.

Woods performed the most solidly of the trio in the morning, playing the final seven holes in 1-over on the way to a first-round 73. He continued to grind throughout his second round, including several more winces for pain in his left elbow — Woods even shared that he had hurt the elbow back at The Players, where he claimed his fourth victory of the 2013 season.

Woods sat at 4-over, but quickly jumped up the leader board with birdies on both par-5s (Nos. 2 and 4). He held his upgraded position by salvaging par at both Nos. 5 and 8, but a bogey on No. 7 became the only blemish on the way in.

McIlroy also carded rounds of 73-70 and is tied with Woods as they gear up for Round 3 Saturday. McIlroy figuratively limped in during his closing holes of Round One, bogeying three of his final four. He then carded four birdies and four bogies in the second round en route to the even par score.

When Woods and McIlroy turned in their scorecards, they were tied for 29th. With many players still to complete round two, they (along with Ernie Els and three others) are tied for 17th, just four shots off the pace.

The 36-hole cut will be for the top 60 players including ties and is currently projected at 8-over. Notable names outside the cut line include Zach Johnson (11-over), Keegan Bradley (12-over), Nick Watney (12-over) and Graeme McDowell (13-over).

3 Wood: Ping G25
Loft: 15 Degrees
Shaft: Oban Kiyoshi Black 75-05 (Tipped 1 Inch)
Swing Weight: D2

5 Wood: Ping G25
Loft: 18 Degrees
Shaft: Oban Kiyoshi Black 75-05 (Tipped 1.5 Inches)
Swing Weight: D2

Irons: Ping S56 (3-PW)
Color Code: Black (3-5 Irons) (Standard) and Red (6-PW) (0.75 Degrees Flat)
Shafts: Ping Z-Z65 / Cushin
Swing Weight: D1
Length: +1/4 Inch

Wedges: Ping Gorge (52, and 60 Degrees)
52(Bent to 53) Degrees Loft, Standard Lie, and D3 Swing Weight
60 Degrees Loft (Wide Sole), Standard Lie and D4 Swing Weight
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold S400 Tour Issue

Putter: Ping Redwood Piper S
Length: 35 Inches
Lie: 70 Degrees
Loft: 3.5 Degrees
Grip: SuperStroke Mid Slim 2.0 (Orange)

Grips: Golf Pride V55 (Full Cord, Rib)
Diameter: .58 (+3 Wraps Right Hand and +2 Wraps Left Hand)

Ball: Titleist ProV1x + (2013)

Click here to see what people are saying in the “Pro Player WITB” forum.

Click here to see what people are saying in the “Pro Player WITB” forum.

Click here to see what people are saying in the “Pro Player WITB” forum.

Zach Johnson used harsher terms.

“I would describe the whole golf course as manipulated,” said Johnson.  “It just enhances my disdain for the USGA and how it manipulates golf courses.”

Johnson continued, “Not when luck is required.  I think Merion is a great golf course, if you let Merion be, but that is not the agenda.”

His comments came after a 77 in Round 2, leaving him in a tie for 105^th place at 11-over par. Johnson will have an MC (missed cut) next to his name after the completion of the second round tomorrow, giving him plenty of incentive for negative commentary.

Lee Westwood serves as testimony to Johnson’s accusations. During his first round, Westwood’s approach shot into No. 12′s green hit the wicker basket, ricocheting backward off the green. A good shot was penalized due to misfortune, leading to a double bogey.

Westwood, who is now hovering on the cutline at 7-over, sarcastically tweeted after the first round:

So much tradition at merion to talk about……like those delightful wicker baskets !

— Lee Westwood (@WestwoodLee) June 14, 2013

Johnson projected earlier in the week that the wicker baskets could affect play.

“I’m not a big fan of them because it’s not consistent with what we normally use,” he said. “I’m not anti-Merion, but we are used to seeing flags. They could be a factor.”

He may not be “anti-Merion,” but he surely doesn’t fancy the USGA.