A US Open victory to complete the career grand slam is top of Phil Mickelson’s agenda for 2014, but the world number five admits wrestling the Ryder Cup back from Europe is vital for the good of the biennial event.
Mickelson’s brilliant triumph in the Open at Muirfield last summer means the left-hander has won three of golf’s four major titles, with just the US Open left to join Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods in winning all four.
The 43-year-old has finished second a record six times in the event, including last year to Justin Rose and in 1999 at this year’s venue of Pinehurst, but is fully confident he will eventually get over the line.
“I do believe that I’ll win a US Open,” Mickelson told a press conference ahead of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship, which gets under way on Thursday.
“I don’t know it’s at Pinehurst this year, very well could be, or in the future.
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“But I play well in that tournament too often to not believe or be confident in my ability to close that tournament out.”
Mickelson also has a less than stellar record in the Ryder Cup, making nine appearances since 1995 but tasting victory just twice, at Brookline in 1999 and Valhalla in 2008.
His partnership with Keegan Bradley was instrumental in the United States building a 10-6 lead at Medinah in 2012, only for Europe to stage a remarkable fightback to claim a seventh win in the last nine contests.
Mickelson, who lost to Rose in the singles in Chicago, said: “To be part of a winning team at Gleneagles would be really special. I thought we had this last one and let it slide, a four-point lead we let get away.
“I think if we were able to come out on top that week, it would be something really good, not just for the United States, but also the tournament in general because we have not been faring well in that event.”
Mickelson and Rory McIlroy are among the star attractions in Abu Dhabi and McIlroy is also relishing another Ryder Cup appearance after experiencing victory at Celtic Manor in 2010 and Medinah.
McIlroy, who memorably needed a lift from a state trooper to make his tee time for the Sunday singles at Medinah, said: “Ryder Cup is always an exciting year and you want to make the team as early as possible so you’re not having to think about it at all.
“It’s great to be a part of. The two that I’ve been part of have been two of the most enjoyable weeks I’ve ever had on the golf course. I’m really looking forward to hopefully being part of the team again and trying to win a third one in a row.”