Mickelson 'holding out hope' that he'll play in U.S. Open

The tee times for the first two rounds of the 117th U.S. Open were released Thursday, and Phil Mickelson's name was on the sheet.

Mickelson plans to attend his daughter's graduation in Carlsbad, Calif., which is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET on Thursday, and when asked what it would take to attend both events, the 46-year-old said Mother Nature would need to help him out.

"Some kind of delay, some kind of delay, and I'm holding out hope," Mickelson told the Golf Channel after a first-round 69 at the St. Jude Classic.

The flight from Carlsbad, Calif. to Hartford, Wis., takes approximately three hours and 45 minutes, which means Mickelson would need a more than two-hour weather delay to make it to his 3:20 p.m. ET tee time.

"The weather looks to be pretty nice next week, which is great for the tournament," said Mickelson.

Mickelson needs only the U.S. Open title to accomplish the career grand slam, a feat only five other players have done in the history of the sport.

"It's a golf tournament, it would be great. I'd love to play it, it's the one I want to win the most," he added. "But sometimes you just have to show up for things, and this is one of them. If there was any kind of delay, I'll have everything ready to go, and we'll hopefully be able to make it."