When he tees it up at Oakmont Phil Mickelson admits that it's highly likely to be his final US Open appearance.
Mickelson will play in his 34th US Open at Oakmont in what is the last of his five-year exemption for winning the 2021 PGA Championship.
And he has no real clear route back into next year's US Open, with just two spots available through LIV Golf next year for either toppping the overall individual standings this year or sitting in the top three in May 2026.
So the six-time Major champion, who has finished runner-up six times in the US Open, admits this could be his farewell to the event.
"I haven’t thought about it too much," Mickelson responded when asked if this could be his final US Open appearance."
He then admitted: "There’s a high likelihood that it will be, but I haven’t really thought about it too much."
Once his PGA Championship exemption expires, Mickelson's options for playing in the 2026 US Open are limited, beyond those two LIV Golf spots.
A top 10 finish at Oakmont would qualify Mickelson for the US Open next year, as would winning the Open, Masters or PGA Championship again - which as a previous winner he can still play in.
One route could be with a special exemption from the USGA, and that could well be a possibility as he actually received one in 2021 but in the end didn't need it thanks to his surprise PGA Championship victory.
Of course, there's always qualifying, but on that subject Mickelson said: "I don’t know. I haven’t thought that far."
Mickelson's pursuit of his national open has been major theme of his entire career, with some heartbreaking near misses in those six second-place finishes.
And the 54-year-old is keen to produce a big performance at Oakmont, if it is to be his final US Open - and he says this week's LIV Golf event at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club is the perfect preparation.
"We have greens that are rolling 14 to 15 on the stimpmeter just like we will next week," Mickelson said.
"We have contours, undulations just like we will next week. I think it’s a great way to prepare for next week.
"Short game, touch, chipping around the greens, rough, speed, lag drills and speed and touch on the greens, all of that’s critical here same thing as next week. It couldn’t be a better spot to get ready."
