Phil Mickelson jetting home after U.S. Open practice round

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OAKMONT, Pa. -- Phil Mickelson was at Oakmont Country Club on Monday preparing for the U.S. Open, as would be expected.

But he was headed home to San Diego afterward to attend his daughter Sophia's eighth-grade graduation on Tuesday.

Mickelson's spokesman confirmed that the Hall of Fame golfer would be back in time to practice and do media interviews Wednesday.

The five-time major champion did something similar three years ago at Merion, when his oldest daughter, Amanda, was graduating from the eighth grade. In that instance, the ceremony wasn't until Wednesday and Mickelson returned to the Philadelphia area in the early-morning hours prior to his first-round tee time.

The tournament turned out to be one of the more heartbreaking defeats for Mickelson, who finished second for a record sixth time, two strokes behind winner Justin Rose. A month later, Mickelson won The Open at Muirfield, the most recent of his 42 PGA Tour victories.

Mickelson, who turns 46 on Thursday, has kept a busy schedule of late.

Following the Memorial Tournament on June 5, he flew to Oakmont for a couple of days of practice in advance of the FedEx St. Jude tournament, where he tied for second on Sunday in Memphis.

Following his final round, Mickelson flew to Pittsburgh for Monday's practice round, then was headed back across the country to his home.

Mickelson will be making his 26th U.S. Open start, the most of any player in the field. He is one of just four players in this week's field who competed at Oakmont in the 1994 U.S. Open, along with Ernie Els (who won), Jeff Maggert and Jim Furyk. Mickelson tied for 47th that year.