2011 British Open Leaderboard: Will Claret Jug Complete Phil Mickelson's Career?

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There's been a lot of talk this week about Phil Mickelson and why he hasn't done better at the Open Championship in his career. Aside from a 3rd place finish in 2004 he really has never contended across the Pong. And since people don't have many explanations as to why, it remains one of the bigger conundrums in major championship history. And since Mickelson is known for being well versed in the game's history, it's got to pain him that he hasn't won the oldest and most internationally revered tournament in the sport.

But Lefty is hovering near the leaders at the halfway point this year at Royal St. George's. Despite some wayward tee shots and some more of his now trade-marked missed short putts, he's at even par and four strokes off the pace.

Still, whether or not Mickelson pulls off a win this week in Sandwich or if he blows sup on the weekend with back to back 80s, there still remains a huge gap in his career resume. That would be a US Open victory.

I say that acknowledging the fact that it's only natural for an American player to value his national championship above any other. To Colin Montgomerie or Sergio Garcia, winning the Open Championship probably would be a great achievement than the US Open or Masters or PGA.

But that's not the reason why I bet Mickelson would trade three British Open titles for one US Open crown.

I'm reminded of what is often said about Super Bowl loses--players often say that there is no consolation in just getting there and that it would be better to have never gone than to go and lose, some variation on the "it's better to have loved and lost than to never have never loved at all."

Mickelson has had so many terrible heartbreaks and near victories at the US Open--a record five runner-ups, punctuated by the disaster at Winged Foot in 2006--that those failures have to weigh on him so much more than the missed cuts and 60th place finishes at the Open Championship.

I'm not saying a win this week at the British Open would be meaningless for Lefty--far from it. If he claims that fifth major title it would be momentous. Only a handful of players have ever reached three-quarters of the Grand Slam. And any tournament win is special, especially a major.

But knowing how badly he burns for a US Open, I don't expect the Claret Jug to deliver validation to his career. To one of the centuries best players, that will only come on the American side of the Pond.

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