Gullane, Scotland …

Phil Mickelson had blanked the Scottish Open media since his arrival earlier this week in Scotland.

And then for a very spoilt second the waiting media looking to speak to Mickelson after shooting a 72 on day one of the Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open we thought that the five-time Major winner was about to stick with his ‘no media’ stance.

This was because he came from the scorer’s hut declaring:  “I am not going to answer any questions on my round today ..(pause) but I am prepared to talk about what happened at the US Open,” he said.

A number of those waiting to Mickelson, and this includes myself, had waited for an awfully long time to speak to Mickelson after the now infamous incident that took place on the 13th green during the staging of last month’s U.S. Open and, in short, resulted in Mickelson being slapped with a two-stroke penalty.

Phil Mickelson speaks at length to the media on the events of last month’s US Open controversey. (Photo @tourmiss)

There was many prepared to let the matter rest given Mickelson’s actions seemed to be that of a ‘frustrated’ golfer but there were many more around the golfing gloe condemming Mickelson’s actions given his stature in the game.

No, Mickelson today answered the questions he probably should have tackled at Shinnecock Hills and with many of those present today here at Gullane of the view that Mickelson could have saved the ensuing US Open backlash by fronting the media earlier rather than a month later.

“No, not trying to dodge anybody these first few days. I have been a little bit busy. I went overto Paris and played The Ryder Cup course. I was over at Carnoustie the last couple of days. I didn’t get a practice round here. Just didn’t have time,” he said.

“So, it’s not been my best month, okay. I’ve had a rough month. I haven’t been my best. So I’m working at trying to fix that.”‘

Phil Mickelson in focus on day two of the 2018 Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open. (Photo @tourmiss)

The American was asked if he had any regrets about what’s happened the past month,” he said.

“I made a big mistake and you know, I wish I could take it back, but I can’t. Yeah, it wasn’t a great moment and I wish I could take it back, but there’s not much I can do about it now other than just try to be — act a little better.

“The thing about this is throughout my career, 25 years, there have been a lot of times where I have had to be accountable for decisions I did not make. And the reason why this has actually been easier, it was my own fault. Like this was my own fault.

“So the articles and the things that — what is it, the flat — what is the word I’m looking for, the backlash, the backlash is my own fault. So it’s much easier to deal with than some of the times where I have not been involved in the decisions and had to deal with that.

“I mean, if people want to focus on the worst moment in a 25-year career, if that’s moments, and it’s easy to focus on those.”

Bernie, who works with me here at www.golfbytourmiss.com , asked Mickelson if he thought the backlash was over the top.

“Well, like I say, it’s much easier for me to deal with it because it was my own fault rather than dealing with somebody else’s decision. You know, you have to be accountable for yourself. I do a lot of dumb stuff, right. I remember, you know, I had that rules deal at Greenbrier last week, right.

“Well, last year at Greenbrier, I picked up my ball in the middle of the fairway, marked it and cleaned it.

“I have these like just moments where I, like in a cloud, if you will, I’m not really sure what I’m doing or I’m just kind of going through the motions and not really aware at the moment, and I’ve done that a bunch in my career.

“I’ve picked up the ball and marked it and cleaned it, probably four or five times after — the first couple days was lift, clean and place and I kept doing it.

“I keep doing stuff like that. That’s the way my mind works.”

Well said, Phil and full praise for speaking with the media after today’s round. Let’s hope this is the end of the Shinnecock Hills controversy.