The U.S. Open returns to Shinnecock Hills Golf Club this week for the first time since 2018, bringing back memories of one of the most talked-about moments in recent major championship history involving Phil Mickelson.
As players prepare for the 2026 U.S. Open, attention has again turned to Mickelson’s controversial third-round incident on the 13th green during the 2018 championship. The moment generated widespread criticism, sparked debate across the golf world, and ultimately overshadowed much of Mickelson’s tournament at Shinnecock Hills.
Mickelson later acknowledged his mistake and apologized publicly. “I know this should’ve come sooner, but it’s taken me a few days to calm down. My anger and frustration got the best of me last weekend. I’m embarrassed and disappointed by my actions. It was clearly not my finest moment and I’m sorry,” Mickelson said following the event.
Phil Mickelson’s 2018 U.S. Open Incident Returns to Spotlight
GettyUS golfer Phil Mickelson
The controversy occurred on June 16, 2018, during the third round of the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills.
While playing the par-4 13th hole, Mickelson watched his ball roll away from the hole on the green. Rather than allowing it to come to rest, he ran after it and struck the moving ball.
Officials assessed Mickelson a two-stroke penalty for the action. The incident quickly became one of the biggest storylines of the championship and drew criticism from players, analysts, and fans.
Many observers viewed the act as contrary to the spirit of the game. Some even suggested that Mickelson should have been disqualified from the tournament.
Others saw the moment differently, viewing it as an outburst of frustration on a course that had become one of the most difficult tests in golf. Shinnecock Hills faced scrutiny throughout that week because of its challenging setup and fast greens.
Regardless of the differing opinions, the moment became a defining image of the 2018 U.S. Open.
Mickelson was not in contention for the championship at the time of the incident. He eventually finished tied for 48th place at 16-over par.
Eight years later, with Shinnecock Hills once again hosting the national championship, the incident has resurfaced as one of the venue’s most memorable moments of the modern era.
USGA Officials Explained Why Phil Mickelson Was Penalized
The controversy continued after the tournament as questions emerged regarding whether Mickelson should have received a penalty or been disqualified.
According to Sky Sports, Mickelson later contacted then-USGA chief executive Mike Davis to better understand the ruling.
“Phil really did want to understand how the rule operates because he didn’t want to… frankly, as he said to me, he goes, ‘Mike, I don’t want to play in this championship if I should have been disqualified,'” Davis explained.
Davis clarified that officials applied Rule 14-5 because Mickelson made a stroke at a moving ball.
“That’s different than if he had deliberately just stopped the ball or whacked it in another direction or something like that. So it’s just, it’s us applying the rules,” Davis said.
The USGA determined that because Mickelson struck the ball while it was still moving, the two-stroke penalty was the appropriate ruling under the Rules of Golf.
Officials noted that a different rule would have applied had he simply stopped the ball or redirected it without attempting a stroke.
As the 2026 U.S. Open gets underway, the focus at Shinnecock Hills will be on a new generation of contenders. Yet Mickelson’s controversial moment remains one of the most enduring memories from the last time the championship visited the historic course, ensuring the incident remains part of the conversation whenever golf returns to Southampton.
Phil Mickelson Most Controversial Shinnecock Moment Resurfaces as US Open Returns