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By Dave Shedloski
PGATOUR.com Senior Correspondent

DUBLIN, Ohio -- Phil Mickelson's preparations for the U.S. Open were dealt a setback of unknown significance Thursday when the No. 2 player in the world was forced to withdraw from the Memorial Tournament with a sore left wrist.

Mickelson (left) gets therapy on his wrist before withdrawing. (Condon/PGA TOUR/WireImage)

Mickelson, who had been on a roll of late with his victory at THE PLAYERS Championship following a pair of third-place finishes, was 2-over par through 11 holes at Muirfield Village Golf Club when he decided to shut it down. He said he might have hurt his wrist over the weekend while practicing chip shots out of the high rough at Oakmont Country Club, near Pittsburgh, which in two weeks hosts the 107th U.S. Open.

Runner-up four times in the national championship, including last year at Winged Foot when his double-bogey on the 72nd hole dropped him behind winner Geoff Ogilvy, Mickelson was unsure if he could compete next week in the Stanford St. Jude Classic. He just knew he couldn't continue at the Memorial, where he tied for fourth a year ago.

"I don't think it's anything serious, but it just got worse," Mickelson said. "I couldn't grab the club, and I couldn't swing."

Mickelson said he first noticed some pain on the second hole, and the pain was much worse by the fourth hole. A massage therapist, Jim Weathers, worked on the inflamed area on the seventh and eighth holes, and the problem subsided slightly, but hitting a wedge out of a divot at the 11th "jarred it pretty good," he said. "I just didn't feel like I could hit a shot on 12.

Playing in his 354th career event on the PGA TOUR, Mickelson withdrew from a tournament for just the second time and for the first time in the middle of a round. At the 2004 Las Vegas Invitational, he pulled out prior to the third round due to food poisoning. He was tied for 27th at the time.

He planned to have the wrist looked at by a doctor and hoped to compete in Memphis next week.

"I don't think I've ever withdrawn for an injury. This is a new experience," Mickelson said. "I guess I'm getting older. I'm turning 37 here soon (June 16), and I guess this is part of the deal.

"I was planning on committing (to the Stanford St. Jude Championship) today or tomorrow, so this isn't an addition. I'm hoping that I have a chance to play next week because I'd like to get some competition. I was really looking forward to playing here. I love this golf course, the field is great, and I was looking forward to playing well. I had been playing so well. I'll take a few days off and see if I can get ready and may some competition in Memphis."