| 2006 U.S. Open | |
At the 1968 Masters, after one of the most infamous blunders in golf history, Robert De Vicenzo exclaimed, "What a stupid I am!" Following the 2006 U.S. Open, Phil Mickelson added another quote to the litany of post-blunder blurts: "I am such an idiot."
Mickelson had the 2006 U.S. Open in his grasp. Or so it appeared as he stepped to the tee on the tournament's final hole. He led Geoff Ogilvy by one stroke. A par would win Mickelson the trophy, a bogey would result in an 18-hole playoff the following day. Mickelson accomplished neither, however, making a double-bogey and giving Ogilvy the victory.
His third stroke found a bunker left of the green; his blast out of the bunker rolled off the green; he chipped up and putting in. Double bogey, tournament lost.
For Ogilvy, it was career major No. 1. For Mickelson, it was the record-tying fourth time he finished second in a U.S. Open. Mickelson had been going for his third straight win in a major, having won the 2005 PGA Championship and the 2006 Masters.
Mickelson wasn't the only one who struggled with the last hole, however. Jim Furyk and Colin Montgomerie tied Mickelson for second, one stroke behind Ogilvy. Montgomerie also doubled the 18th, while Furyk missed a 5-foot par putt that ultimately cost him a spot in a playoff with Ogilvy.
Ogilvy carded a 2-over 72 in the final round, but he was the only golfer among the late leaders to avoid costly mistakes down the stretch. Ogilvy parred the last four holes, including a chip-in from off the green on the 17th.
Earlier in the week, Tiger Woods missed the cut. This was Woods' first tournament coming back from a break following the death of his father. It was the first time Woods missed the cut in any major championship.
2006 U.S. Open Scores
Results from the 2006 U.S. Open golf tournament played on the par-70 West Course at Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, N.Y. (a-amateur):
| Geoff Ogilvy | 71-70-72-72--285 | $1,225,000 |
| Colin Montgomerie | 69-71-75-71--286 | $501,249 |
| Jim Furyk | 70-72-74-70--286 | $501,249 |
| Phil Mickelson | 70-73-69-74--286 | $501,249 |
| Padraig Harrington | 73-69-74-71--287 | $255,642 |
| Vijay Singh | 71-74-70-73--288 | $183,255 |
| Kenneth Ferrie | 71-70-71-76--288 | $183,255 |
| Nick O'Hern | 75-70-74-69--288 | $183,255 |
| Steve Stricker | 70-69-76-73--288 | $183,255 |
| Mike Weir | 71-74-71-72--288 | $183,255 |
| Jeff Sluman | 74-73-72-69--288 | $183,255 |
| Ryuji Imada | 76-73-69-71--289 | $131,670 |
| Ian Poulter | 74-71-70-74--289 | $131,670 |
| Luke Donald | 78-69-70-72--289 | $131,670 |
| Paul Casey | 77-72-72-69--290 | $116,735 |
| Robert Allenby | 73-74-72-72--291 | $99,417 |
| David Duval | 77-68-75-71--291 | $99,417 |
| Miguel Angel Jimenez | 70-75-74-72--291 | $99,417 |
| David Howell | 70-78-74-69--291 | $99,417 |
| Arron Oberholser | 75-68-74-74--291 | $99,417 |
| Tom Pernice Jr. | 79-70-72-71--292 | $74,252 |
| Peter Hedblom | 72-74-71-75--292 | $74,252 |
| Jose Maria Olazabal | 75-73-73-71--292 | $74,252 |
| Trevor Immelman | 76-71-70-75--292 | $74,252 |
| Adam Scott | 72-76-70-74--292 | $74,252 |
| Henrik Stenson | 75-71-73-74--293 | $52,341 |
| Ernie Els | 74-73-74-72--293 | $52,341 |
| Sean O'Hair | 76-72-74-71--293 | $52,341 |
| Craig Barlow | 72-75-72-74--293 | $52,341 |
| Angel Cabrera | 74-73-74-72--293 | $52,341 |
| Ted Purdy | 78-71-71-73--293 | $52,341 |
| Steve Jones | 74-74-71-75--294 | $41,912 |
| Rod Pampling | 73-75-75-71--294 | $41,912 |
| Woody Austin | 72-76-72-74--294 | $41,912 |
| Scott Hend | 72-72-75-75--294 | $41,912 |
| Bart Bryant | 72-72-73-77--294 | $41,912 |
| Stewart Cink | 75-71-77-72--295 | $36,647 |
| Jay Haas | 75-72-74-74--295 | $36,647 |
| Charles Howell III | 77-71-73-74--295 | $36,647 |
| Lee Williams | 75-73-73-75--296 | $29,459 |
| Jason Dufner | 72-71-78-75--296 | $29,459 |
| Bo Van Pelt | 72-75-73-76--296 | $29,459 |
| Tommy Armour III | 79-70-74-73--296 | $29,459 |
| Stephen Gangluff | 76-73-77-70--296 | $29,459 |
| John Cook | 71-78-74-73--296 | $29,459 |
| Chad Collins | 76-71-72-77--296 | $29,459 |
| Fred Funk | 71-75-73-77--296 | $29,459 |
| Kent Jones | 73-74-73-77--297 | $20,482 |
| Fred Couples | 73-74-71-79--297 | $20,482 |
| Philip Archer | 72-72-75-78--297 | $20,482 |
| Graeme McDowell | 71-72-75-79--297 | $20,482 |
| Charley Hoffman | 76-70-78-73--297 | $20,482 |
| Thomas Bjorn | 72-74-73-78--297 | $20,482 |
| Charl Schwartzel | 74-72-76-75--297 | $20,482 |
| J.B. Holmes | 74-73-75-75--297 | $20,482 |
| Darren Clarke | 73-72-79-74--298 | $18,031 |
| Ben Curtis | 78-71-77-73--299 | $17,614 |
| Kenny Perry | 77-71-79-74--301 | $17,281 |
| Jeev Milkha Singh | 73-76-77-76--302 | $16,676 |
| Skip Kendall | 73-75-76-78--302 | $16,676 |
| Camilo Villegas | 74-72-79-77--302 | $16,676 |
| Ben Crane | 77-72-74-80--303 | $16,126 |
| Tim Herron | 73-76-79-77--305 | $15,836 |
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