A hungry Mickelson is fed up with seconds

Phil Mickelson, giving the Torrey Pines practice green a workout, has finished second in the US Open three times. (Matt Slocum/Associated Press)

SAN DIEGO - It's the best of both worlds for Phil Mickelson. It is the US Open, a championship he unabashedly embraces, and it is a home game. No wonder the smile is wider than usual.

"As a kid we dreamed and hoped that a major championship would come to Southern California and the ideal spot would be Torrey Pines," said the lefthander, who grew up in this city and played so much of his early golf where the 108th US Open will get underway today. Mickelson has won the Buick Invitational three times at Torrey, but this is the US Open and it's a whole different deal.

"I can't believe this is the US Open Championship here at Torrey Pines," he said. "I'm excited to be a participant."

He's more than that. He's one of the leading contenders; some would even suggest he's the favorite, or at least right there with Tiger Woods. There's a track record to suggest that, because Mickelson has finished second in the national championship three times in the last nine years, and seven times since 1994 he has been top 10.

"I love it," he said. "I just haven't gotten the love back."

Mickelson appeared poised to win the 1999 US Open at Pinehurst, at least until Payne Stewart made a memorable up-and-down to save par at the 72d hole. He was thwarted by Woods at Bethpage in 2002 and fell victim to Retief Goosen's torrid putting down the stretch at Shinnecock in 2004. Two years ago? That's the most bitter memory of all, because Mickelson had a two-stroke lead with three holes to play, but started to unravel with a bogey at the 16th. Then, at the 72d hole, he drove it wildly left, made double bogey, and allowed Geoff Ogilvy to walk into the winner's circle.

Still, he refuses to treat the US Open with anything but full-throttle passion.

"I've come close to winning this championship four times. This is a tournament I know and believe I can win," he said. "I think that this golf course gives me the best opportunity available to do that."

Butting out
As the winner of last year's US Open at Oakmont, Angel Cabrera obviously received a lot of air time on NBC and it was impossible not to catch him without a cigarette going. "Some players have sports psychologists, I smoke," he said at the time. But fast forward and the picture has changed. "I'm feeling better now that I don't smoke," said the burly Argentine. "But my life goes on, whether I smoke or not, so I don't really care much about it." . . . When a reporter asked Jim Furyk about the massive length the USGA has set at Torrey Pines (7,643 yards), it was suggested that the 2003 US Open champion was "a medium-sized hitter." Furyk smiled. "I appreciate you putting me in that medium category, thanks. It's an upgrade from usual, so I like that." . . . Masters winner Trevor Immelman stands as the only player in the field of 156 who can win the Grand Slam. Such a thought made him laugh. He said he never even thinks about it. "I would be the happiest guy on earth if I [won all four majors] over the span of a career," said the South African. "We can safely say that if I do it this year, I will retire. OK? There's no chance of that. I have not even for one second thought about that."

Tee parties
By now, the Woods-Mickelson-Adam Scott group at 11:06 a.m. (EDT) has evolved into the No. 1 story line in today's first round, but there are some other pairings that demonstrate the USGA folks have a sense of humor. For instance, going off at 4:03 p.m. is the green jacket crowd of Immelman (2008), Zach Johnson (2007), and Mike Weir (2003). If you prefer to follow those good old boys who can launch it a mile, then the 4:47 p.m. group off the first tee is for you - Bubba Watson, B.J. Holmes, and Brett Wetterich. Up for a spot of tea and a jolly good show? Then head to the 10th tee where the 4:14 group consists of Englishmen Ian Poulter, Paul Casey, and Luke Donald . . . Immelman gave a big thumbs-up to the pairing of Woods-Mickelson-Scott and he isn't just blowing smoke by declaring, "I would pay to watch Tiger play golf." That's because at the 2003 US Open, Immelman hung around after missing the cut and walked the third round to watch Woods. He got a good taste of how difficult it is to get a good view of the world's top-ranked player, because despite positioning himself strategically at a number of spots, "I saw him hit probably five or six shots that day." . . . Pat Perez also will tee off at 11:06, but he'll be with Woody Austin and Thomas Levet at the 10th tee, meaning he'll always be on the opposite side of the course from the Woods-Mickelson-Scott mob scene. In other words, Perez figures to be on the quiet side. "It's going to be a circus," said Perez of the glamour trio. "It will be an absolute zoo with those three. Especially with Phil. Phil is hometown. And Tiger is always hometown, wherever he goes. The crowds are going to be incredible." . . . And if Perez - like Mickelson a local boy who is realizing a dream with the US Open in his hometown - had not made it into the field, what would these days have been like? "I wouldn't have watched it [on TV]," he said.

Just bad timing
He knows it's an 18-hole golf challenge in front of him this morning, but Brett Quigley had to limit his practice sessions to a grand total of 17 holes. "It's all I've been able to play," said the Rhode Islander. "Shin splints are killing me. The only thing I can equate it to is, it's like someone sticking a needle in your shin." When he played golf with good friend Brad Faxon last Saturday, Quigley noticed that his right leg was sore, but he didn't think anything of it. Then he got to San Diego and went to walk Torrey Pines, and his left leg started to act up. It's bothered him every day. "I might have to get a cortisone shot," said Quigley. "It's the US Open. I'm going to play, I'll tell you that." . . . New Bedford pro Kevin Silva, the top qualifier at the Purchase, N.Y., sectional site, has had a good look at Torrey Pines, playing 63 practice holes over the past five days. "I had a lot of good time on the course and I'm not burned out," said Silva, who played rounds with Brett Wetterich and D.J. Trajan. Silva tees off at 5:31 . . . Someone not teeing off is Sean O'Hair, who withdrew because of a pulled chest muscle. He was replaced by Gary Wolstenholme, a 47-year-old career amateur from England.