Phil Mickelson wants to play Pinehurst, but he can’t get a tee time

Being a professional golfer, and one that has been at it for as long as Phil Mickelson has, grants you plenty of incredible pleasures, but apparently a tee time at one of the most famous resorts in the United States is not one of them.

Mickelson, the No. 9 ranked player in the world and a man in search of the final leg of the Grand Slam next month at Pinehurst, can’t even get a tee time at the golf course the championship will be played at.

The Associated Press’ Doug Ferguson reported that Mickelson, in the field this week at Quail Hollow, couldn’t even squeeze in a round at Pinehurst #2 because it is so packed with public play.

“I’ve tried to get down there three times now, and the course has been booked all three times,” Mickelson said Wednesday. “So I don’t know when I’ll get down there.”

Pinehurst #2, where the U.S. Open will kick off June 12, will be closing soon to prepare for the second major of 2014, but for now as most courses do when they are preparing to host a major championship it is all about getting as much public play out as possible as golfers flock to this venue to get a shot at a course they will see on television in a month.

But for Phil, it isn’t just about practicing around the grounds, it’s about seeing the changes to a golf course that he nearly won on back in 1999 and being as comfortable as possible as he gets set for one of the biggest major championships of his career.

For now, Mickelson will wait out the public, attempt to get his rough season turned around at the Wells Fargo Championship, and hopefully find a tee time at some point before his names gets called on the first tee just six weeks from this Thursday.

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Shane Bacon is the editor of Devil Ball Golf and Busted Racquet on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at shanebaconblogs@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter at @ShaneBacon!