It's beginning to look as if Phil Mickelson's wrist injury might be more bothersome than indicated. At the very least, it appears it could jeopardize his chance to be a serious contender in the 107th U.S. Open.

The world's No. 2 player, who has withdrawn from the past two PGA Tour events, did not play a practice round yesterday on the first day for spectators at Oakmont Country Club -- the third day in a row he has failed to play because of the injury to his left wrist.

Wearing a protective bandage on his wrist, Mickelson hit approximately 30 balls on the practice range and spent nearly 45 minutes on the putting green. But he didn't hit a full shot on the range -- he hit his driver once -- and never went onto the course.

Including his three-day visit over Memorial Day weekend, Mickelson has played only one 18-hole round in six days at Oakmont.

Mickelson has denied interview requests, preferring to wait until today when he is scheduled for an afternoon interview session with the national media.

Howell out
A wrist injury already has cost one player: David Howell of England withdrew yesterday. He will be replaced in the field by Luke List, who is making his third U.S. Open appearance.

List, who lost to Ryan Moore in the championship match of the 2004 U.S. Amateur, was first alternate after losing in a playoff at a sectional qualifier in Rockville, Md.

Magic for Monty?
Colin Montgomerie was in the final group of the 1994 U.S. Open at Oakmont, involved in a three-man Monday playoff with eventual champion Ernie Els and Loren Roberts.

His caddie, Billy Goddard, was in Johnny Miller's group on the final day in the 1973 U.S. Open, when Miller shot 63, carrying for Miller Barber.

Maybe the duo can conjure some past Oakmont magic this week at the 107^th U.S. Open.

Goddard is one of 10 Oakmont caddies who will have bags in the tournament, an impressive number in this age of specialty caddies. But Goddard gets the biggest name of all -- Montgomerie, who fired his longtime caddie, Allistair McLean, last week.

"That's great ... awesome," Oakmont caddie master John Migely said. "They only got two [bags] at Winged Foot last year. Ten -- that's huge. I was expecting a couple bags, but no way did I think we would get 10 guys."

Most of the caddies have bags for sectional qualifiers. Mike Byrnes will caddie for Japan's Shingo Katayama, and Mike Berger will loop for U.S. Amateur champ Richie Ramsay of Scotland.

The number does not include Oakmont member Mark Bope, a former club champion who will caddie for amateur Trip Kuehne -- just as he did in the 2003 U.S. Amateur at Oakmont.

Stuff of dreams
If anyone needs proof the Open is the stuff of dreams, consider the story of Michael Block, a club pro from the Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club in Southern California.

After coming up short in three previous years, Block qualified for a spot by sinking a 22-foot birdie putt in his sectional. Winner of the California State Open in 2001, the U.S. Open will be his first major tournament. And the father of two turns 31 on Friday.

"The last three weeks have been the craziest weeks of my life without a doubt," he said. "This is a lifelong dream for me."

His opinion of the fabled Oakmont greens?

"The greens are perfect. The best greens I ever putted on in my life," Block said. "But if you get careless, if you're not concentrating, you will put it 20 feet beyond the hole before you know it."

Hardware on display
The sterling silver trophy awarded to the Open champion arrived last week when Geoff Ogilvy brought it to Oakmont from his home course in Scottsdale, Ariz. To give the 156 entrants a peek at what's on the line, the trophy was placed on the registration desk for every entrant to see.

Most golfers didn't even look at it because it's considered bad luck to go near the trophy before the tournament. But Anthony Wall of Great Britain and Martin Ureta, a native of Chile who is a senior at the University of North Carolina, had their pictures taken with it.

Early fans
Bud and Leanne Hough of Beverly, Mass., said they were the second car in the Blue Lot when they pulled in at 4:30 a.m. to conclude an eight-hour drive overnight. But it was hardly an inconvenience because it meant the completion of a holiday gift.

"Our son bought us Open tickets for Christmas," Leanne Hough said. "They came in identical boxes and we had to open them at the same time, but I like Tiger [Woods] and mine had little tigers all over the ribbon."

They were on the course in plenty of time to see the first group tee off at 7 a.m.