Dan O'Neill

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. - On one hand, Phil Mickelson's tie for second at the U.S. Open on Monday was a remarkable performance. No one expected “lefty” to be right this week, to have the polish on his game or the fire in his belly to contend.

Most felt Mickelson's appearance would be little more than ornamental, a bone for the boisterous New York galleries that have become his personal peeps and a quick exit after 36 holes.

After all, he had played once in the previous four weeks. He is dealing with the emotional trauma of knowing the love of his life, his wife Amy, has breast cancer and is facing a surgery a tough battle that will begin with surgery on July 1.

In that context, Mickelson's 2-under par finish and near miss speaks volumes for his talent and his resolve. Not one can take that away from him that, especially when you throw in the rain suspensions and crazy five-day schedule on Long Island.

At the same time, you can't help but be amazed at what took place. You can't help but wonder what tormented spirit is hovering over Mickelson in the New York area. Perhaps it is the ghost of “Marvelous” Marv Throneberry, the legendary first sacker of the expansion New York Mets, that haunts him.

Throneberry once hit a triple and was called out for not touching second base. When Mets manager Casey Stengel came out to protest the call, the umpire stopped him in his tracks and said, “Don't bother arguing Casey, he missed first base, too.” Throneberry was a lefty. Coincidence?

Perhaps, but how else do you explain the cruel karma that seems to surround Mickelson in New York. He is adopted as a native son, by all the burrows. He turns a major golf championships into a rowdy soccer game. The he plays just well enough to get your pulse racing, then does something to break your heart.

It happened at Bethpage in 2002, happened at Shinnecock in 2004, happened at Winged Foot in 2006. And now, under the most infatuating circumstances of all, it happened again. Five times Mickelson has finished runner-up in a U.S. Open — four times it has happened in New York. If you didn't know better, you'd think this was Jack Nicholson in Chinatown.

“I think maybe it's more in perspective for me,” Mickelson, 39, said. “I feel different this time. I don't know where to go with this, because I want to win this tournament so badly. This is now my fifth second and surprisingly, not surprisingly, I play well in this event ... ”

Even Mickelson had to catch himself, tongue-tied by the ambiguity. Surprisingly, he played well this week at Bethpage, no question. So well, in fact, that when the leaderboard got top heavy for Ricky Barnes and Lucus Glover, when those unlikely leaders came tumbling back to earth, the championship was there for the taking, there for Phil.

Treading water, pardon the phrasing, stalking the perimeter, Mickelson got the back nine and produced one of those fabulous moments. He knocked it close on No. 13 and made the putt for eagle, the first eagle on that hole in the tournament. All of a sudden, that nutty, romantic notion — and popular chant from the galleries — the idea that Mickelson would somehow “win one for Amy” was real.

The heavy-hearted husband was 4-under par and tied for the lead.

“I felt that eagle put me right in position,” Mickelson said. “I thought I needed to to play most likely under par to have won outright,. As it turned out, that's what I needed to do.”

You could hear Jim Nantz calling it “one for the ages,” whatever that means. You could see the tears rolling down Amy Mickelson's face. Heck, you could even feel yourself starting to tear up. This would wipe the slate clean on that horrific “Massacre at Winged Foot.” This would put all those other close calls to bed.

This would put Mickelson one British Open short of a Grand Slam and re-insert him as a credible rival to Tiger Woods. This would be Chicken Soup for the Phil as he and his family attacked the diffcult days ahead. What a send off!

But Mickelson didn't play under par and win. Instead, not surprisingly, the script unraveled. The magic disappeared like a bunny in a top hat. Now you see it, now you don't.

After a par at No. 14, Mickelson played the next four holes at 2-over. He missed a three-footer for par at No. 15, then inexplicably missed the green at No. 17. Like so many occasions in the past, like this maddening game itself, Mickelson teased us with exciting possibilities, then gutted us with harsh reality.

You hate to say it under the circumstances, and no one is holding him to it, but this atypical U.S. Open for Mickelson wound up with a painfully typical outcome.

“It was a lot of ups and downs for me as far as a lot of birdies, a lot of bogeys, fighting to get into it, back out, back in it,” Mickelson said. “Kind of an emotional four, or five, days.

“And certainly, I'm disappointed. But now that it's over, I've got a lot more important things going on. And, oh, well ...”

In an odd way, it was the appropriate way for Mickelson to leave, to take the time he needs and apply himself to those more important things. Ultimately, what happened at this U.S. Open is why golf crowds embrace him so, why he is the game's most captivating figure.

We all have some “Lefty” in us. Most of us disappoint more often than we succeed, or if we're lucky, it comes out about even. All of us are talented in some way, and all of us are fallible. We're human, and on a bigger stage, in sometimes maddening ways, so is Phil Mickelson.

Also on NBCSports.com Out of Bounds: Katrina survivor pens hit Saints song Rosenthal: Colts will be team to beat next season NBA: ProBasketballTalk is here! Check out new blog NCAA BK: Who's in, who's out? Updated bracket projections Twitter: Follow us @nbc_sports