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Lefty’s 3 Biggest Professional Regrets

The comedy of life in the public eye is that every achievement is public information. The tragedy? So is every mistake.
Phil Mickelson knows this complex well. For nearly a quarter-century, he has lived every moment of his professional life in the public eye. While that career has brought its fair share of massive successes — six major championships and countless PGA Tour victories form a resume entrenched not only in the Hall of Fame, but also worth a seat at the table of the game’s all-time greats — it’s also brought its fair share of struggles.
To date, Mickelson remains tortured by his history at the U.S. Open, where he has secured a record six (6!) runner-up finishes, and which remains the only piece missing from his grand slam puzzle some two decades later. Perhaps equally notable is how he’s managed to escape grabbing a historic victory at the national championship. At Winged Foot in 2006, Mickelson famously bungled the 72nd hole, squandering a one-stroke lead (and the tournament) to Geoff Ogilvy with an 18th hole double-bogey.
When the publication’s account shared the story to Twitter, Mickelson joined the fray to offer his thoughts on the story and a peek inside what he views as the most regrettable moments from his lengthy career.
“I appreciate this article John and so you know, I’ve apologized to both Captain Watson and Sutton and deeply regret my actions,” he said. “Both are (as well as hitting moving ball) (sic) the 3 things I regret most in my career.”
The first incident (involving Sutton) came in 2004, when Mickelson lambasted the U.S. captain for a failure to prepare the team for competition.
Then, 10 years later, the situation repeated itself over again. This time, Lefty aimed his criticism at 2014 captain Tom Watson, who he felt had done an inadequate job of involving players in the decision-making process.
“Unfortunately, we have strayed from a winning formula in 2008 for the last three Ryder Cups, and we need to consider maybe getting back to that formula that helped us play our best,” he said in a lengthy press conference answer viewed by many as an evisceration of Watson’s kinder-hearted tendencies.
As for his third-biggest regret, that came at a U.S. Open — but not in one of his six runner-up performances. No, Phil’s disappointment stemmed from his (now infamous) backstopping controversy at Shinnecock in 2018, in which he ran to the other side of the green to stop his putt from rolling off the false front, incurring a penalty and narrowly escaping a DQ.
Ultimately, Phil leaves with the last laugh. He’s one of the greatest golfers ever and has earned untold millions from more than two decades as one of the most popular players in the world. And best of all — after a win at the PGA Championship last May, he’d vaulted himself firmly into consideration to be part of one final Ryder Cup win (perhaps atoning for his sins in the process). Will that be enough to leave him regret-free after a lengthy career in the public eye? Probably not. But hey, it’s worth a shot, right?
This article originally appeared on Golf.com.

When JJ Spaun stood over a 64-foot birdie putt on the 72nd hole of the 2025 U.S. Open at Oakmont, few could have predicted what would come next. The ball meandered across the slick green, trickling over every contour, picking up speed at the crest, and then—like it had GPS—dropped center cup. Spaun dropped his putter, raised his arms, and the crowd erupted. With that single stroke, he claimed his first major title in one of the most dramatic finishes in U.S. Open history.
But how does Spaun’s putt stack up against other legendary finishes in the tournament’s storied past? Let’s break down some of the most iconic moments and see where this one lands.
1. Payne Stewart – 1999 U.S. Open at Pinehurst
Perhaps the most iconic putt in U.S. Open history came from Payne Stewart, who nailed a 15-footer for par on the 18th to win by one over Phil Mickelson. The pose—fist pump and outstretched leg—has since been immortalized in a statue at Pinehurst. What made it legendary wasn’t just the putt—it was the context: Stewart’s final major before his tragic death just months later.
Verdict: Iconic and emotional. Spaun’s putt was longer, but Stewart’s was more poetic.
2. Tiger Woods – 2008 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines
Woods drained a 12-foot birdie on the 72nd hole to force a playoff with Rocco Mediate—while basically playing on one leg. That tournament went to sudden death after an 18-hole playoff, and Tiger prevailed. This was peak Tiger drama, pain and all.
Verdict: Spaun’s putt was longer, but Tiger’s win was sheer willpower and mystique.
3. Jack Nicklaus – 1972 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach
With a 1-iron shot that hit the flagstick on 17 and a crucial birdie putt on 18, Jack sealed a dominant win. His precision and timing under pressure showed why he’s the GOAT.
Verdict: Not a putt for the win, but a signature finishing statement from Jack. Spaun’s was more electric in terms of pure putter drama.
4. Ben Hogan – 1950 U.S. Open at Merion
Hogan’s 1-iron into the 18th fairway and the par to force a playoff—just 16 months after a near-fatal car crash—remain legendary. He won the playoff and completed one of golf’s great comeback stories.
Verdict: Larger-than-life comeback. Spaun’s putt had more flair, but Hogan’s win was heroic.
5. JJ Spaun – 2025 U.S. Open at Oakmont
Let’s not underestimate what Spaun accomplished. The pressure was immense. He wasn’t the favorite. And on the most treacherous greens in golf, he buried a 64-foot bomb—a putt most players would be happy to lag to within 5 feet—to win the U.S. Open outright.
Verdict: For distance, surprise, and drama, Spaun’s putt may be the most shocking winning stroke in U.S. Open history.
Final Thoughts
JJ Spaun may not have the résumé of a Nicklaus or Woods, but for one Sunday afternoon in June 2025, he created a moment that will live in golf lore forever. Spaun’s putt was longer than Stewart’s, more unexpected than Tiger’s, and more dramatic than any final-hole finish in recent memory.
In terms of pure clutch putting? It might just be the greatest walk-off in U.S. Open history.
Blog
The Zen of the Shank: Finding Inner Peace in Your Worst Shots
Find your inner peace even when you aren’t playing well.

Ah, the shank. That glorious, unpredictable misfire that sends your pristine golf ball screaming sideways, often directly into the unsuspecting shins of your playing partner, or perhaps, with a touch of poetic irony, into the very lake you’ve been trying to avoid all day. Most golfers, bless their earnest little hearts, view the shank as a catastrophic failure, a blight upon their scorecard, a testament to their inherent lack of coordination. They curse, they throw clubs, they contemplate a career in competitive thumb-wrestling. But not I. No, my friends, for I, Ty Webb, have found enlightenment in the humble shank.
You see, the shank is not a mistake; it’s a revelation. It’s the universe’s way of reminding you that control is an illusion, that perfection is a myth, and that sometimes, the most direct path to your goal is, in fact, a wildly indirect one. Think of it as a philosophical detour, a sudden, unexpected journey into the unknown. One moment, you’re aiming for the green, a paragon of precision and intent. The next, your ball is ricocheting off a tree, narrowly missing a squirrel, and landing, by some divine comedic intervention, closer to the hole than your perfectly struck drive ever would have. Is that not a miracle? Is that not a sign that the golf gods, much like life itself, have a wicked sense of humor?
The key, my dear apprentices of the links, is acceptance. Embrace the shank. Welcome it with open arms, like a long-lost, slightly inebriated relative. When that familiar, sickening thwack echoes through the air, do not despair. Instead, take a deep breath. Close your eyes. Feel the gentle breeze on your face. And then, with a knowing smile, open them and observe the chaos you have wrought. Is it not beautiful in its own chaotic way? Is there not a certain freedom in relinquishing control, in allowing the ball to choose its own destiny, however bizarre that destiny may be?
Some say the shank is a sign of poor technique. I say it’s a sign of a vibrant, untamed spirit. A golfer who never shanks is a golfer who has never truly lived, never truly explored the outer limits of their own golfing absurdity. They are content with mediocrity, with predictable trajectories and mundane outcomes. But you, my enlightened few, you understand that the true joy of golf lies not in the score, but in the story. And what a story a good shank can tell.

So, the next time you feel that familiar tremor of a shank brewing, don’t fight it. Let it flow. Let it be. For in the heart of every shank lies a lesson, a laugh, and perhaps, just perhaps, a path to a lower score you never saw coming. After all, as the great philosopher Basho once said, “A flute with no holes, is not a flute. A donut with no hole, is a Danish.” And a golf game without a shank? Well, that’s just not golf, is it?
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Meet The Canadian Open Qualifier Tied To ClickIt Golf!
“This week was incredible,” he said. “A dream come true.”

Josh Goldenberg doesn’t plan to quit his day job. But he had a great time dabbling in his old career.

He gave up on pro golf, then qualified for his first PGA Tour event.
Read the full story here
https://golf.com/news/josh-goldenberg-rbc-canadian-open/?amp=1
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