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WATCH: Phil Mickelson purposely hits the ball while moving at the U.S. Open (updated with Phil’s response)
Update: In a post-round interview, Phil had this to say: “I took the penalty, no disrespect to the game, I didn’t feel like going back and forth and I’ve always wanted to take the two-shot penalty, and I finally did… It’s meant to take advantage of the rules the best you can. I’d gladly take the two shots over continuing that display.”
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You don’t see Phil Mickelson lose his cool very often, but that’s seemingly what happened on Saturday — his 48th birthday — at the 2018 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills.
After blowing his bogey putt by the hole on No. 13, Phil ran after his ball and decided to hit it while it was still moving. Phil finished out the hole in 8 shots; adding in the two-stroke penalty for hitting the golf ball while moving, and it was a 10 on the scorecard.
Check out the bizarre scene that Phil Mickelson put on at the 13th hole below:
Wow. I’ve never seen that before.
Phil Mickelson ran after his putt before it stopped, which is a two stroke penalty.
Really, really odd #USOpen pic.twitter.com/Hu08036qjo
— Cam Rogers (@MrRogers99) June 16, 2018
Phil was four-over par in the round going into the 13th hole, and exited the 13th hole at 10-over par after the fiasco. He is currently continuing his third round as regularly scheduled.
Wow.
I’m going to gush in this intro paragraph, to get the emo stuff done early. I’ve not pulled harder for a professional to win, than Cameron Young. I coach golf in New York state, and each spring, my best golfers head to a state championship in Poughkeepsie. I first saw Cameron there as a 9th grade student. I saw him three more times after that. I reconnecected with Coach Haas from Wake Forest, an old interview subject from my days on the Old Gold and Black, the Wake newspaper. He was there to watch Cameron. After four years at Wake Forest, Young won on the Korn Ferry Tour, made it to the big tour, almost won two majors, almost won five other events, and finally got the chalice about 25 minutes from the Wake campus. Congratulations, Cameron. You truly are a glass of the finest. #MotherSoDear
OK, let’s move on to the Tour Rundown. The major championship season closed this week in Wales, with the Women’s Open championship. The PGA Tour bounced through Greensboror, N.C., while the PGA Tour Americas hit TO (aka, Toronto) for a long-winded event. The Korn Ferry lads made a stop in Utah, one of just two events for that tour in August. The many-events, golf season is winding down, as we ease from summer toward fall in the northern hemisphere. Let’s bask in the glory of an August sunrise, and run down a quartet of events from the first weekend of the eighth month.
LET/LPGA @ Women’s Open: Miyu bends, but she doesn’t break
Royal Porthcawl was not a known commodity in the major tournament community. The Welsh links had served as host to men’s senior opens, men’s amateurs, and Curtis and Walker Cups in prior years, but never an Open championship for the women or the men. The last-kept secret in UK golf was revealed once again to the world this week, as the best female golfers took to the sandy stage.
Mao Saigo, Grace Kim, Maja Stark, and Minjee Lee hoped to add a second major title to previous wins this season, but only Lee was able to finish inside the top ten. The 2025 playing of the Women’s Open gave us a new-faces gallery from day one. The Kordas and Thitikulls were nowhere to be found, and it was the Mayashitas, Katsus, and Lim Kims that secured the Cymru spotlight. The first round lead was held at 67 by two golfers. One of them battled to the end, while the other posted 81 on day two, and missed the cut. Sitting one shot behind was Miyu Yamashita.
On day two, Yamashita posted the round of the tournament. Her 65 moved her to the front of the aisle, in just her fourth turn around a women’s Open championship. With the pre-event favorites drifting off pace, followers narrowed into two camps: those on the side of an underdog, and others hoping for a weekend charge from back in the pack. In the end, we had a bit of both.
On Saturday, Yamashita bent with 74 on Saturday, offering rays of hope to her pursuing pack. England’s Charley Hull made a run on Sunday closing within one shot before tailing off to a T2 finish with Minami Katsu. Katsu posted the other 65 of the week, on Saturday, but could not overtake her countrywoman, Yamashita. wunderkind Lottie Woad needed one round in the 60s to find her pace, but could only must close-to’s, ending on 284 and a tie with Minjee for eighth.
On Sunday, Yamashita put away the thoughts of Saturday’s struggles, with three-under 33 on the outward half. She closed in plus-one 37, but still won by two, for a first Major and LPGA title.
PGA Tour @ Wyndham: Young gathers first title near home
Cameron Young grew up along the Hudson river, above metro New York, but he also calls Winston-Salem home. He spent four years as a student and athlete at Wake Forest University, then embarked on tour. This week in Greensboro, after a bit of a break, Young opened with 63-62, and revved the engine of Is this the week once more. Runner-up finishes at the Open, the PGA, and a handful of PGA Tour events had followers wonder when the day would come.
On Saturday, Young continued his torrid pace with 65, giving him a five-shot advantage over his closest pursuer. Sunday saw the Scarborough native open with bogey, then reel off five consecutive birdies to remind folks that his time had, at last, arrived. Pars to the 16th, before two harmless bogeys coming home, made Young the 1000th winner of an official PGA Tour event (dating back to before there was a PGA Tour) throughout history. What’s next? I have a suspicion, but I’m not letting on. Mac Meissner closed with 66 to finish solo 2nd, while Mark Hubbard and Alex Noren tied for third.
Korn Ferry Tour @ Utah Championship: Are you Suri it’s Julian?
Who knows exactly when the flower will bloom? Julian Suri played a solid careet at Duke University, then paid his dues on the world’s minor tours for three years. He won twice on two tours in Europe, in 2017. Since then, the grind has continued for the journeyman from New York city. At age 34, Suri broke through in Beehive state, outlasting another grinder (Spencer Levin) and four others, by two shots.
Taylor Montgomery began the week with 62, then posted 64, then 68, and finally, 70. That final round was his undoing. He finished in that second-place tie, two back of the leader. Trace Crowe, Barend Botha, and Kensei Hirata made up the last of the almost quintet. As for Suri, his Sunday play was sublime. His nines were 32 and 31, with his only radar blip a bogey at ten. He closed in style with one final birdie, to double his winning margin. Hogan bloomed late…might Suri?
PGA Tour Americas @ Osprey Valley Open presented by Votorantim Cimentos – CBM Aggregates
Some tournament names run longer than others. This week in Toronto, at the Heathlands course at TPC Toronto, we might have seen the longest tournament title in recorded history. The OVOPBVCCBMA was a splendid affair. It saw three rounds of 62 on Thursday, but of those early risers, only Drew Goodman would stick around until the end. 64 was the low tally on day two, and two of those legionnaires managed to finish inside the top three at week’s end. Saturday brought a 63 from Patrick Newcomb, and he would follow with 64 on Sunday, to finish solo fourth.
Who, then, ended up winning the acronym of the year? It turns out that Carson Bacha had the right stuff in TeeOhhh. Bacha and Jay Card III posted 63 and 64, respectively, on day four, to tie for medalist honors at 23-under 261. Nathan Franks was one shot adrift, despite also closing with 63. If you didn’t go low on Sunday, it was about the check, not the championship.
Bacha and JC3 returned to the 18th hole twice in overtime. Card nearly chipped in from the thick stuff for birdie, while Bacha peeked and shoved a ten-feet attempt at the win. On the second go-round, Card was long with his approach, into the native grasses once more. He was unable to escape, and a routine par from the fairway was enough to earn the former Auburn golfers a first KFT title.
Card III and Bacha both miss their birdie tries on the first playoff hole.
We’ll play 18 again @OspreyOpen. pic.twitter.com/vNpHTdkHDg
— PGA TOUR Americas (@PGATOURAmericas) August 3, 2025
GolfWRX is live this week from the final event of the PGA Tour’s regular season, the Wyndham Championship.
Photos are flowing into the forums from Sedgefield Country Club, where we already have a GolfWRX spirit animal Adam Schenk WITB and plenty of putters for your viewing pleasure.
Check out links to all our photos below, which we’ll continue to update as more arrive.
General Albums
- 2025 Wyndham Championship – Tuesday #1
- 2025 Wyndham Championship – Tuesday #2
- 2025 Wyndham Championship – Tuesday #3
WITB Albums
- Chandler Phillips – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Davis Riley – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Scotty Kennon – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Austin Duncan – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Will Chandler – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Kevin Roy – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Ben Griffin – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Peter Malnati – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Ryan Gerard – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Adam Schenk – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Kurt Kitayama – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Camilo Villegas – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Matti Schmid – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
Pullout Albums
- Denny McCarthy’s custom Cameron putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Swag Golf putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Karl Vilips TM MG5 wedges – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- New Bettinardi putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Matt Fitzpatrick’s custom Bettinardi putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Cameron putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
See what GolfWRXers are saying and join the discussion in the forums.
Kurt Kitayama just won his 2nd PGA Tour event at the 3M Open. Kurt is a Bridgestone staffer but with just the ball and bag. Here are the rest of the clubs he used to secure a win at the 2025 3M Open.
Driver: Titleist GT3 (11 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD VF 7 TX
3-wood: Titleist GT1 3Tour (14.5 degrees, A3 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 8 TX
7-wood: Titleist GT1 (21 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 9 TX
Irons: TaylorMade P7CB (4), TaylorMade P7MB (5-PW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (52-12F, 56-14F), Vokey Design WedgeWorks (60-K*)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putter: Scotty Cameron Studio Style Newport 2 Tour Prototype
Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy 1.0PT
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Ball: Bridgestone Tour B XS (with Mindset)
‘Why would anybody want to change that swing?’ – Brandel Chamblee says PGA Tour star was wrong to change his swing
‘The stupidest freaking thing I’ve ever heard’ – Billy Horschel slams Open idea suggested by Padraig Harrington
WITB Time Machine: Brandt Snedeker’s winning WITB, 2018 Wyndham Championship
Golfer proudly posts photo of ball mark on iron, receives immediate roasting
WITB Time Machine: Matthew Wolff’s winning WITB, 2019 3M Open
Oakmont Country Club bans Wyndham Clark over locker incident; Reveals specific conditions to earn reinstatement
Adam Scott puts Callaway blades in the bag at Wyndham Championship
Report: LIV star fires caddie and coach in shock shake up
Rickie Fowler makes equipment change to ‘something that’s a little easier on the body’
The championship formula: How 3 key stats separate winners from the field
Peter Malnati WITB 2025 (August)
Peter Malnati what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wyndham Championship. More photos from the event here. Driver: Titleist...
Cameron Young’s winning WITB: 2025 Wyndham Championship
Driver: Titleist GT2 (9 degrees, A1 SureFit setting) Buy here. Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Pro Orange 70 TX 3-wood: Titleist...
Camilo Villegas WITB 2025 (July)
Camilo Villegas WITB accurate as of the Wyndham Championship. Villegas was undecided on a 3-wood when we shot his bag. ...
WITB Time Machine: Brandt Snedeker’s winning WITB, 2018 Wyndham Championship
Brandt Snedeker fired a final-round 65 at the 2018 Wyndham Championship to outlast Webb Simpson and C.T. Pan. His 5-under...
Sam McAvenue
Jun 18, 2018 at 2:21 pm
The USGA is comprised of a bunch of bureaucratic type a ssholes. I am proud of Phil giving them a swift kick to the nuts.
Austin
Jun 18, 2018 at 10:52 am
What he did is disrespectful to the game of golf. Abide by the rules, the course conditions are the same for everyone. There is no excuse for this and he should withdraw from the tournament. He is lucky he did not get disqualified…
John
Jun 18, 2018 at 4:30 am
First of all, let me point out that I am in no way defending Mickelson because I’m a fan. I’m far from it. His betrayal of Tom Watson in the post-Ryder Cup press conference was unforgivable in my eyes and belied his ‘nice guy’ image (which I never really bought in the first place).
To the matter in hand… although his actions were clearly not in the spirit of the game, the penalty he incurred is the one laid down in the rules and no further action should be taken against him. The question nobody seems to be asking is what action is going to be taken against the people responsible for setting the course up in such a way that the world’s best golfers looked like weekend hackers? The PGA came out and stated that they’d got it right this year and there would be no repeat of the errors of the recent past. This was probably the biggest shambles of them all yet no one is demanding the people responsible step down. Mickelson acted out of frustration as much as anything and even if they subsequently decide to DQ him I’m sure he won’t lose any sleep over it.
Stixman
Jun 17, 2018 at 12:51 pm
I’m with the opening commenter, Gozieboy.
I’m also looking at this from outside the USA, not bein part of the current US culture and am comfortable with my observations and the timeline of the events. Mickelson deliberately prevented the ball from going into an unfavorable position, not merely ‘hitting a moving ball’. The line taken by him and the USGA official is a ‘Post Truth’ in the best traditions of politically conditioned lying.
DQ…no question.
GozieBoy
Jun 17, 2018 at 9:04 am
The issue most are ignoring, or don’t seem to care about, is that Phil very deliberately broke the rule. He not only violated the letter of the rule, but he violated the spirit of the game. According to 1-2, and the very decorum of the game, that to me demands DQ. Because of that, this is not subject to any further discussion.
Jim
Jun 17, 2018 at 2:07 pm
Completely agree. He should have been DQd. Bad judgement on the USGAs part.
Phil Underhill
Jun 17, 2018 at 6:39 am
He just did it to make a statement about the greens
If he actually wanted to use the rules to his advantage, he’d have been better off letting the ball run out and then declaring it unplayable and replaying the previous putt for a one stroke penalty
Wiger Toods
Jun 17, 2018 at 5:07 am
I don’t understand AT ALL why anyone thinks he should be DQd or should quit. There’s an exact, prescribed penalty of 2 shots, and he was within his rights to do it. Anyone saying anything about a DQ and/or quitting need to look in the mirror, because they’re guilty of flat-out snobbery and are the people who are a drag on the game of golf.
sjn
Jun 17, 2018 at 5:31 pm
You’re complelety wrong and ignorant of the rules. 14-5 does not expressly permit what Mickelson did or expressly prohibit what he did. It simply is an add-on to the penalty he committed by changing the direction of the ball. he broke both rule 14-5 and 1-2 and D/Q was warranted
Steve
Jun 17, 2018 at 3:17 am
There are better ways to make a statement. How many kids were watching that over and over today? If Phil defies the rules does that make it ok? Who needs to “toughen up” doughboy?
Bob Tee
Jun 17, 2018 at 8:16 am
It’s a travesty when all golfers, both pro and amateurs cannot see and realize that the USGA is at the root of Phil’s personal decision. Phil has always epitomized professionalism and respect for the game. When the USGA displays the lack of fairness and lack of knowledge in preparing a golf course, both pros and amateurs suffer.Phil maintained his dignity and respect through this incident and not once did he show disdain for his actions. You need to chastise the USGA. They need to bear this cross, not Phil.
Hogan Fan
Jun 17, 2018 at 9:48 am
Exactly.
commoner
Jun 18, 2018 at 6:10 pm
What a great sense of humor!!
Peter
Jun 16, 2018 at 10:15 pm
If he wanted to really drive home the point of how ridiculous some pin placements were, he should’ve putted back and forth for a while and held up play. I think he should of been disqualified, most anyone else would of been.
Tim Armington
Jun 16, 2018 at 9:22 pm
Phil stays i stay!
Phil goes i go!!
Its a 2 shot penalty and he pegs it Sunday morning in the 2nd group out.
All the golf purists having anxiety attacks over this need to relax.
Judge smail must have rolled over in his grave!!!!!
Bruce Ferguson
Jun 16, 2018 at 8:30 pm
Why doesn’t the USGA just put windmills on the greens like at the putt-putt recreation centers? The greens are about that ridiculous.
Kyle M
Jun 16, 2018 at 8:04 pm
I thoroughly enjoyed what Phil did. Throw a little shade at the USGA. Who knows how many of these you have left. They’ve gone out of their way on numerous occasions to make the Open course nearly unplayable and at times unwatchable. For an organization that wants to grow the game it doesn’t make sense to make it look impossible. The Fox announcers would make you believe that Phil just murdered someone.
Side note: Joe Buck is the worst sports broadcaster in the modern day.
Tom
Jun 17, 2018 at 12:01 am
It’s bad enough listening to him during football season!
Hogan Fan
Jun 17, 2018 at 12:10 am
100% Agreement. The USGA makes the Open qualifiers play a game no one would play. If we were to try to play like that, we couldn’t even find it in the rough, we couldn’t stop it on the green, we couldn’t 2 putt anything and our greens would be dead inside a week. Hmmmm. No other golf course is ever like this (except the week of the Open) so how is anyone supposed to get really good at playing in these conditions? I would rather the USGA tee up the Open at a 6400 yard Muni with smallish greens that run about 8 on the stimp and then see who wins. They would at least be playing the same game we play and when the shoot 58 we would know what that means. I have no idea how what I’m watching even relates to what I do at the local golf course.
PhilDSnuts
Jun 16, 2018 at 6:35 pm
Atta baby phil!!!!!! Fire up the haters!!!!!!
Chuck Barkley
Jun 16, 2018 at 8:29 pm
Of course, a clown named PhilDSnuts chimes in with the “Everybody’s a hater,” nonsense!
Chuck Barkley
Jun 16, 2018 at 5:46 pm
Krik Triplett or Payne Stewart pulled the shenanigans at the Olympic Club’s US Open in 2012. Come on Pickelson, you clown!!
If Oh’Bama did something like that, INSTANT DQ!! Get Pickle off the track for Sunday’s round, having no regard for
protecting the field. He’s dodger of the rules and couldn’t care less!
Harry Balsagna
Jun 16, 2018 at 10:51 pm
I doubt it was Payne Stewart, since he died 13 years prior to the 2012 US Open.
Chuck Barkley
Jun 16, 2018 at 11:16 pm
Harry, your a brilliant specimen! Thanks for your historical and mathematical save. And yes, it was
was the 2012 US Open when Mr. Triplett protested and stopped his ball from trickling down the slippery slope.
What would we do without the astute Balsagna?
Geohogan
Jun 16, 2018 at 11:02 pm
Your right Chuckie!
He let Putin invade Crimea.
Obama would deserve DQ and a fine.
Chuck Barkley
Jun 17, 2018 at 12:23 am
Geo!!! Another brilliant WRX’er!!
Geohogan
Jun 16, 2018 at 5:39 pm
David Fey was correct, Phil should be DQ’d.
Ping eye II, insider trading…. Phil’s character is well known.
Billie
Jun 16, 2018 at 5:29 pm
Phil knew what he was doing, and I didn’t think he was mad, or out of sorts, other than he wanted to stop the madness. Took his 2 strokes and moved on. He was smiling ????
Brett Weir
Jun 16, 2018 at 5:20 pm
Phil knew he was going to get penalized the minute he took a swat at the ball when it was still moving and accepted what was coming to him as a man.
Geohogan
Jun 17, 2018 at 8:01 am
Brett, you the man.
Speaking of ‘man’, Kim Jong-Il back in 1994, the North Korean dictator, scorched the 7,700-yard Pyongyang Golf Course in a stunning 38-under par, 34.(His first round of golf ever, BTW)
he never resorted to hitting a moving ball ruling.
When DT invites Chairman Kim to play at Miralargo, they should invite Chairman Phil, the “Man”.
and David Fay can keep score.
Bart Broesamle
Jun 16, 2018 at 4:11 pm
If he followed the rules as written then whats the problem.Just chuck it in the fu@#it bucket and move on!
LJ
Jun 16, 2018 at 3:48 pm
Never seen that before? John Daly on 5 at Pinehurst if I remember correctly. Tried to run it up the hill long left of the green with a putter and hit it again on its way down the slope
stevet
Jun 16, 2018 at 3:59 pm
Yup…. and both Phil and John did this as contempt for the extreme slopes on these greens. John’s was more contemptful because the ball came back to him and would have rolled off the green it he didn’t stop it… LOL
geohogan
Jun 16, 2018 at 4:45 pm
Phil also admitted that he intentionally stopped the ball to incur two stroke penalty. The alternative could have been worse (off the green, more putts).
In other words he admitted he broke the rule 1-2 (serious breach to gain advantage over the field) and should have been disqualified.
A player is deemed to have committed a serious breach of Rule 1-2 if the Committee considers that the action taken in breach of this Rule has allowed him or another player to gain a significant advantage.
Why is what he did any different from a golfer stopping his ball from rolling into a hazard.
Simply hit the moving ball closer toward the hole and take a two stroke penalty? I dont think so.
Isnt the first time Phil has messed with the rules. Played banned Ping clubs, taken to court over insider trading etc. His character has long been known. The USGA needs to answer for their decision today. Should have been DQ’d, “fire the SOB”.
Geohogan
Jun 16, 2018 at 5:42 pm
as our feckless leader would say.
Geohogan
Jun 16, 2018 at 5:46 pm
as our feckless leader would say. On learning Phil is a follower of our feckless leader, DT would give him a PARDON…. “treated unfairly”.
gunmetal
Jun 16, 2018 at 7:43 pm
I’m pretty sure Phil would have been completely fine with a DQ as well. What’s the harm in sending a little message (your pin placements have become unplayable) when you know you’re completely out of the tourney? I’d wager the rest of the field was happy that he did it.
Geohogan
Jun 16, 2018 at 9:48 pm
Whats the harm?
The integrity of the game. Watch every neanderthal on the course begin doing the same as Phil.
Some are trying to make a living. Money and ranking means something to them.
Phil will take whatever he can get away with/ or without, paying taxes in California.
I wager the rest of the field is sick of the self absorbed jerk.
Peter
Jun 16, 2018 at 10:26 pm
If he really wanted to send a message, he should of putted back and forth for awhile and held up play. I think he should of been disqualified for what he did. By his actions he disrespected the game of golf not the USGA. Hard to have respect for the USGA when they didn’t have the balls to disqualify him. Nobody is or should be bigger than the game.