 Mickelson never looked comfortable with his injured wrist |
Phil Mickelson missed his first cut in a major since the 1999 Open when a 77 in the US Open on Friday saw him slide to 11 over, one shot too many. His fate hung in the balance until Angel Cabrera birdied the last to get to level par and move the cut mark.
The top 60 and ties and any player within 10 shots of the lead qualifies for the weekend at a US Open.
Luke Donald also missed out by one shot, while Colin Montgomerie and Padraig Harrington fell well short.
Cabrera's closing birdie condemned 18 players on 11 over at the time to an early exit, including Dane Thomas Bjorn.
Scotland's Montgomerie, last year's runner-up, finished on 18 over after a second-round 82 and Irishman Harrington carded a round of 80 for 13 over.
Two-time champion Retief Goosen also missed the cut after a 77 dropped him to 13 over, while Spain's Sergio Garcia ended 14 over, Sweden's world number six Henrik Stenson finished 15 over and Australian Adam Scott was 18 over.
 | This place is only going to get tougher and harder |
Struggling with an injured left wrist, Mickelson started well but came badly unstuck around Oakmont's turn. Having got back to two over through six, he doubled the 7th, bogeyed eight and nine and then doubled the 10th. He then mixed four bogeys with a birdie and three pars on his way home.
The world number two, who turns 37 on Saturday, seemed resigned to his fate after his painful round at the brutally tough Pittsburgh course.
"No chance - it would be pretty unbelievable," Mickelson said when asked if he thought he would survive the cut.
The popular left-hander had made his last 30 cuts at majors, the longest current streak in golf.
"Seven through 10 did me in, six shots over in four holes. If I play them two over it's not going to kill me but that stretch did me in."
 World number four Scott amassed 82 on Friday |
The three-time major winner, who has finished runner-up in four US Opens, then said he was going to "watch the carnage on TV".
Mickelson's playing partners Jim Furyk and Scott also toiled at Oakmont.
Furyk, the world number three, shot a 75 to be six over, while Scott, the world number four, stumbled to a 12-over 82.
"The greens are firmer and a little faster and I think the pins were tougher," said Furyk, the 2003 champion.
"If the breeze keeps up these guys will be in for a tougher time. It's just a mean golf course.
"It's set up tough and there isn't a lot of leeway for poor golf shots. Rarely do you hit a marginal shot and get away with it and somethimes you hit a pretty darn good shot and it doesn't turn out well.
"This place is only going to get tougher and harder."
E-mail this to a friend 
Printable version 