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Phil Mickelson finished in the top 11 at the St. Jude Classic for the fifth consecutive year without a win. This time around, he was undone by a triple bogey on the par-4 12th hole in which he hit his drive into "unknown."

The reason for his third double bogey or worse on the week (and eventual downfall at TPC Southwind) was a bit surprising, though.

"I'm playing some good golf," Mickelson told CBS Sports' Amanda Balionis. "I'm really playing well. Because it's been a while, I'm not as sharp as I need to be. I was on a good run there. I was thinking, 'If I could shoot 6 or 7 under par, I could win this tournament.' I look up on the leaderboard because it was right behind the hole on No. 11, and I saw I was tied for the lead. It kind of shook me to be honest. It threw me because I didn't expect to be there. I thought I was still chasing.

"It was as if I've never won before -- as if I was a rookie. I was not mentally as focused as I need to be. Something as simple as that threw me. That's the challenge that I'm at right now because the physical game is as good as it's been when I won a bunch a tournaments. I'm mentally not as sharp." 

That's a pretty interesting admission from a 42-time PGA Tour winner. Mickelson went on to detail his U.S. Open week that will include attending his daughter Amanda's graduation on Thursday morning in California and an attempt to get to his 3:20 p.m. ET tee time at the course in Wisconsin.

He has already noted that he's fine with skipping the event, but now there is an itinerary in case it rains early at Erin Hills. Mickelson's caddie, Jim "Bones" Mackay, will be on site waiting for him to fly from California to Wisconsin after the graduation.

"I need a four-hour delay," Mickelson said of what needs to happen for him to make it to the only major he needs for the career grand slam. "I need a minimum four-hour delay most likely. That's the way I kind of mapped it out. I should get in the air right around my tee time. It's about a 3-hour 20-minute flight. 

"Last night, there was a 60 percent chance of thunderstorms. Right now, there's 20 percent. So who knows. I am going to keep my game sharp the next couple of days ... but t's not looking good. It's totally fine. I'm not going to really be prepared for Erin Hills. I haven't gone there. I don't know the golf course."

Mickelson went on to note that sometimes this is a good thing because you don't know how penal the course can be and you're just trying to hit good shots.

I'm here for this entire story. Mickelson is skipping the second major of the year for a good reason, but him attempting to make it to the course and the USGA accommodating him by pushing his tee time late into Thursday afternoon is pretty incredible. I'm hoping for about 3 hours and 45 minutes of rain on Thursday and Mickelson jetting as fast as he can across the country to get to hole No. 1 by 3:20 p.m. ET.

It would be incredible if Mickelson went on to win any U.S. Open, of course, but winning this one would be the most Lefty thing of all time.