ASU alum Phil Mickelson was the talk of the golf world Saturday following his baffling decision at the 13th hole of the U.S. Open.
As it turns out, that decision will cost Lefty well over a hundred grand.
Already sitting at 10-over par for the tournament and facing a bogey on the 13th hole Saturday, Mickelson missed a putt, but then chased it down while the ball was still rolling away from the hole and hit it again. He missed that putt, as well, and received a two-stroke penalty for hitting a ball that was still in motion. He went 6-over on the hole itself, marking his worst score on a U.S. Open hole as a pro.
Those six strokes will ultimately cost Mickelson about $123,000, per ESPN's Darren Rovell. Mickelson finished 16-over par for the tournament and tied for 49th place, meaning he'll take home about $27,000. Had he finished six strokes better, he would have won about $150,000.
"At that time I didn't feel like going back-and-forth and hitting the same shot over. I took the two-shot penalty and moved on... I don't mean any disrespect."
Phil Mickelson on why he hit a moving ball on the 13th green at the #USOpen pic.twitter.com/M0psTf0D6k
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) June 16, 2018
The U.S. Open is the only of the four major golf tournaments Mickelson has yet to win.
"I know it's a two-shot penalty, and at that time, I just didn't feel like going back and forth and hitting the same shot over. I took the two-shot penalty and moved on," Mickelson told FOX Sports after the round. "I've had multiple times where I wanted to do that; I just finally did."
When he returned to the 13th hole during the final round of the U.S. Open on Sunday, Mickelson celebrated as if he had won the tournament as he sank a putt to par the hole.
Phil's return to 13 today 😂 pic.twitter.com/vxNNEcUxpx
— No Laying Up (@NoLayingUp) June 17, 2018
