Peter Diana, Post-Gazette Phil Mickelson hits out of a bunker on No. 5 yesterday at Oakmont. Mickelson is wearing a protective wrap on his injured left wrist, which has caused him to withdraw from the past two PGA Tour events.

By Gerry Dulac, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

If he were allowed, Phil Mickelson would pick up his ball in the rough and toss it back in the fairway, which is pretty much what he did when he finally played a practice round at Oakmont Country Club.

Bob Donaldson, Post-Gazette

Phil Mickelson, with a brace on his wrist, and Fred Funk joke on the ninth tee, the last hole Mickelson played yesterday at Oakmont Country Club. Click photo for larger image. Listen In: Phil Mickelson speaks with the media after practice rounds for the 107th U.S. Open at Oakmont: On the status of his sore wrist and preparation What it will take to win at Oakmont Toughest holes at Oakmont Oakmont's Church Pews bunkers Lessons from the 2006 Open

Or, if he were permitted, he would walk down the middle of the fairway, find a nice spot for an approach shot, and lay his ball on the nice, tightly cropped grass, keeping it far away from the 5-inch rough that could prove to be his downfall.

If he could do that when the 107^th U.S. Open begins tomorrow, Mickelson might have a chance to be a serious contender for the championship he has never won. Instead, he will have to hope his injured left wrist, which has caused him to withdraw from the past two PGA Tour events, can hold up well enough to finish the U.S. Open, much less contend.

"I have concerns," Mickelson said yesterday after playing nine holes, the first time he has played Oakmont since arriving four days ago. "Sure I do. But I'm going to do the best I can. I'm going to do all that I can do to [perform]."

Were it any other week, were it any other tournament, Mickelson said he would "probably not" compete, preferring to wait another week for the inflammation in his wrist to subside.

But it's the U.S. Open, and Mickelson, the world's No. 2 player, said he intends to play tomorrow when he tees off in the first round with Jim Furyk and Adam Scott at 1:36 p.m.

He will play with a black protective wrap on his wrist, hoping it doesn't hamper his ability to drive the ball. Mickelson said he will have the wrap checked to make sure it conforms to USGA rules that prohibit the use of teaching aids during a competitive round. John Morrisett of the USGA rules division said he will inspect the wrap.

Mickelson doesn't exactly sound like a player brimming with confidence. Nor is he likely capable of putting together a ball-striking round like the one he displayed during the final round of his victory at The Players Championship last month -- the last time he completed a PGA Tour event.

"It's certainly not the way I wanted to be coming into this tournament," Mickelson said. "I wanted to have good practice sessions and good driver sessions ... and I haven't been able to do that. I haven't been physically able to practice as hard as I would like, and I'm not sure where my physical game is going to be as far as ball-striking."

But it's not just Mickelson's left wrist that has been bothering him. He said he "stressed" his right wrist when he was working out because he tried to compensate for the pain and swelling in his left wrist. As a result, he has not been able to sign autographs or hit balls after he plays, though he hasn't played much: Just one 18-hole round since he aggravated his left wrist during a May 28 practice round at Oakmont.

Yesterday, during a practice round with Fred Funk and Darron Stiles, Mickelson did not attempt any shots out of the rough, fearful he would aggravate his injury. And he didn't hit his driver much because he was worried about cutting loose with a tee shot.

"I tried not to hit too many drivers," Mickelson said. "I don't want to go at it full speed yet. I'm just kind of easing into it.

"I've got a really good game plan mapped out for the tournament. I'm just not sure if I'm going to be ready to implement it because I haven't had the normal practice and preparation that I would have going into a major. But I'm still looking forward to being able to play and hopefully implement or put together the game plan that I had hoped."

Mickelson has spent seven days at Oakmont, counting his three-day visit during the Memorial Day weekend, but he has played just one 18-hole round -- certainly not the amount of preparation he had in mind for the U.S. Open, a tournament where he has finished second four times, including last year during his colossal collapse at Winged Foot.

Mickelson said he will play nine more holes today, probably on the back nine after playing the front nine yesterday.

"His injury is on his trailing hand, so I think that makes it a little bit easier, but probably not much," said Tiger Woods, who is familiar with wrist injuries in the U.S. Open. As an amateur, Woods had to withdraw after six holes from his first U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills because he injured his wrist on the third hole. "Out of this rough, to try and advance the golf ball, even if you're healthy, is still going to be a difficult test."

"You don't really want to have the injury that he has," said Ernie Els, who played with a wrist injury several years ago. "You can almost get away with it more at the Masters or the British Open, But we all know what the rough is like here. I've been out there a couple times and it's as severe as I've ever seen it."

Mickelson, too, is aware of the rough, which is 2 3/4 inches high in the first cut of primary rough, 5 inches in the second cut. And he's also aware of his penchant for erratic driving, ranking No. 153 in driving accuracy this year on the PGA Tour (56.17 percent).

That's what concerns him about trying to handle Oakmont.

"This isn't the best week for that, given my driving history," Mickelson said.