Thursday 9 June 2016 09:01, UK
Phil Mickelson has opted for competitive golf rather than extensive on-site practice in preparation for his third attempt to complete the career grand slam.
Mickelson's victory in the 2013 Open Championship at Muirfield left him needing victory in the US Open to join Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods in winning all four majors.
The 45-year-old has finished runner-up in the event a record six times, most recently behind Justin Rose at Merion in 2013, but was 28th at Pinehurst in 2014 and 64th at Chambers Bay last year.
Mickelson also missed the cut the last time the US Open was held at this year's venue Oakmont in 2007, but has opted to contest the FedEx St Jude Classic in Memphis rather than arriving early in Pennsylvania.
"Oakmont has the only spot that you can play from in the middle of the fairway, and the only spot you can really play from is around the green," said Mickelson, who was second in Memphis in 2013 and third last year.
"There's no recovery of misses at Oakmont.
"They went in and built the lips up and essentially they're all pot bunkers, like in Europe. They're wedge out, almost sideways. So you don't have recovery. You have to play it perfectly.
"Because of that, I don't feel like it's really that big of a deal to really go learn the golf course as much as it is to get your game sharp because you've got to perform and execute.
"I did all that work for the '07 Open at Oakmont and nothing's really changed. I don't really have to do that again. I've been studying the notes because they're fairly extensive. I'll just go out and practice and play and develop a game plan on how I want to play."
Former US Open champion Graeme McDowell has also chosen to compete in Memphis despite previously expressing concerns about playing consecutive weeks in high temperatures.
McDowell is currently not exempt for The Open, but can claim one of the four places on offer via the Open Qualifying Series with a top-12 finish at TPC Southwind.
And if the Ryder Cup star misses out this week, he can still secure his place by remaining inside the top 20 on the FedEx Cup standings on June 26. The top five players, not otherwise exempt, after the Quicken Loans National will earn invitations to Royal Troon.
