Phil Mickelson Considers Future as Oakmont Nears \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Bryson DeChambeau praised the flexibility of LIV Golf’s schedule as he prepares for another U.S. Open title bid. Meanwhile, Phil Mickelson admitted Oakmont could be his final appearance in the national championship. Both players highlighted their evolving goals amid changing careers.
Quick Looks
- Bryson DeChambeau relishes LIV’s limited schedule, allowing more time for rest and hobbies.
- He played golf with President Trump and practiced at the White House South Lawn.
- The LIV Virginia event at RTJ Golf Club begins Friday and serves as U.S. Open prep.
- DeChambeau praised LIV’s role in helping him focus on health and strategy.
- Known for extreme practice habits, he once hit over 1,000 balls during the Masters.
- Phil Mickelson suggested this year’s U.S. Open at Oakmont may be his last.
- Mickelson wants to support LIV’s HyFlyers team or step aside if needed.
- The 6-time major winner has missed the last three U.S. Open cuts.
- Mickelson remains exempt in other majors due to past wins.
- The U.S. Open remains the only major title Mickelson hasn’t won.
Deep Look
As the U.S. Open at Oakmont looms, two of golf’s most compelling figures—Bryson DeChambeau and Phil Mickelson—find themselves at drastically different stages of their careers but united by a reflective tone that captures the evolution of the sport and their places in it.
Bryson DeChambeau: Peak Performance With Freedom to Breathe
For Bryson DeChambeau, life on the LIV Golf circuit has meant more than fewer tournaments—it’s offered an entirely new way of living and training that he believes has given him an edge in the majors. Speaking before the LIV Golf Virginia event at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, DeChambeau credited LIV’s compact 14-event schedule for allowing him time to heal, focus, and, unusually, have fun.
“LIV gave me the opportunity to spend more time thinking, strategizing, getting my body healthy, ready for majors in a pretty unique way,” DeChambeau said.
The U.S. Open will be his first event since the PGA Championship, where Scottie Scheffler captured his third major. In that span, DeChambeau has played a round with President Donald Trump, practiced short-game shots on the White House South Lawn, and posted viral YouTube videos from extreme locations like Utah’s Bonneville Salt Flats and a mountain peak.
Despite this social-media-driven lifestyle, DeChambeau remains deadly serious about golf. Few players on any tour practice with his intensity. At the 2024 Masters, he led the field in warm-up volume, striking over 1,000 range balls in preparation—an exhausting regimen he traces back to his early days in California junior golf.
“It stemmed from me not being as good as others and then realizing I can only be as good as how hard I work,” he explained. “So I just became obsessed with hitting crazy amounts of golf balls.”
The obsession has paid dividends. After a dominant win at Winged Foot in 2020, DeChambeau added a second U.S. Open title at Pinehurst No. 2 in 2024, proving his style—high-risk, high-reward—can be translated to multiple major venues. Oakmont, widely considered one of the most challenging courses in America, presents yet another stern test. DeChambeau believes the tough conditions at RTJ in Virginia, with thick rough and fast greens, offer the perfect simulation.
The Method Behind the Power
Known for his scientific approach, DeChambeau optimizes every variable—from driver loft to calorie intake—to enhance consistency and distance. But he also understands golf’s unpredictable side.
“As much as I am a robot, and try to swing it as straight as possible and just stable as possible, I still do have to hit cuts and draws and hit weird shots every once in a while,” he said. “Giving myself those opportunities in the bunker, in the bush, whatever, has only aided in my golf career.”
Whether or not he wins a third U.S. Open next week, DeChambeau appears to have found a sustainable rhythm in his career—one that balances elite performance with personal fulfillment.
Phil Mickelson: Facing the Final Fairways
While DeChambeau’s star may still be rising, Phil Mickelson is confronting a sobering reality: his historic career is winding down. Now 54, the six-time major winner acknowledged at LIV Golf Virginia that the upcoming U.S. Open at Oakmont might be his last.
“There’s a high likelihood that it will be,” Mickelson admitted.
Though Mickelson has claimed victories at the Masters, PGA Championship, and The Open Championship, the U.S. Open has eluded him—despite six runner-up finishes, more than any other golfer in history. For many fans, that elusive title is the missing link in a storied career, one he may never complete.
A Legacy Secure, But Role in Transition
After his stunning PGA Championship win in 2021 at age 50—becoming the oldest major winner in history—Mickelson’s form has declined. He’s missed the cut in the last three U.S. Opens, and his competitiveness at the highest level has come under scrutiny. However, his legacy is unquestioned, and his presence on the LIV Golf HyFlyers team reflects his evolving role in the sport.
“I want this team to succeed. I don’t want to hold it back,” Mickelson said. “If I’m holding it back, then it’s time for me to move on and get somebody else in here.”
Mickelson’s remarks were delivered with humility and clarity—traits that have sometimes eluded him throughout his volatile, headline-making career. Whether it’s coaching younger players, managing team dynamics, or simply bowing out with grace, he appears increasingly focused on helping the next generation.
The USGA’s Role and One Last Chance
Mickelson’s presence at Oakmont is still possible, but precarious. He received a special exemption from the USGA to play in the 2021 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines, though he didn’t need it due to his win at Kiawah. Historically, the USGA is reluctant to issue multiple exemptions to non-champions. Only Seve Ballesteros has received more than one.
Mickelson remains eligible to compete in the other three majors, thanks to past wins. But the U.S. Open is the only one that remains unconquered, and Oakmont’s unforgiving layout could be his last battleground.
The LIV Landscape: Rewriting Careers
The contrasting trajectories of DeChambeau and Mickelson underscore the broader transformation underway in professional golf. LIV Golf’s schedule, resources, and team-based structure allow players to recalibrate their careers. For DeChambeau, it means time to focus and innovate. For Mickelson, it offers a softer landing and a chance to mentor.
Together, their stories highlight how players today are not just chasing trophies, but reshaping what it means to have a long and fulfilling golf career—even as the sport itself continues to split across ideological lines.
As both men tee it up in Virginia, eyes are already shifting to Oakmont. For DeChambeau, it’s another chance to cement dominance. For Mickelson, it may be a final act of a legendary career. One thing’s certain: both are playing on their terms.
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