When the U.S. Open returns to Pinehurst next week after a six-year absence, no one in the field is likely to feel more emotional than Phil Mickelson.

The American left-hander came desperately close to winning the 1999 tournament, though he had been fully prepared to pull out had his pregnant wife Amy given birth to their first child.

As it happened, Amanda Bryan was born the day after the U.S. Open ended. By then, her proud father had just about come to terms with yet another second-place finish in a major.

Mickelson had led by a stroke with three holes to play in the final round on Pinehurst's No. 2 course before he was overhauled by an inspired Payne Stewart, who triumphed by a shot.

At the time, Mickelson carried the unwanted label of being the best player never to have won a major and, once again, he had to settle for being second after he and Stewart had duelled for the title on a cool, rainy day.

Just four months later, though, the 42-year-old Stewart was killed when his private jet crashed in South Dakota and the golfing world had to mourn the early loss of a three-times major winner.

One of the strongest memories Mickelson holds from Pinehurst in 1999 is of Stewart, as he celebrated his own triumph, taking time to congratulate the runner-up on his impending fatherhood.

GREAT HEART

"I look back at Payne Stewart and I think about what a great heart he had," recalled Mickelson, who finally made his major breakthrough at last year's U.S. Masters.

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"I thought it was very touching to me that when he had just had his greatest triumph, or one of the greatest triumphs in his career, he was thinking about somebody else.

"He said he was really happy for me that Amy and I were expecting our first child and that he was really excited for us.

"It just shows the kind of heart that he had."

Going into that year's U.S. Open, Mickelson was confident about his chances. He had tied for sixth in the Masters at Augusta and, with the birth of his child looming, felt he had something extra to prove.

"To travel all the way across the country when we were so close to delivering our first child, I felt very determined to make that worthwhile and to get a win out of it," said Mickelson.

"It was really a shock when that didn't happen. Granted, it was the way it was supposed to be but, at the time, I really was surprised because I was playing well and I was very determined to win and just didn't do it."

ULTIMATELY UNDONE

Mickelson was ultimately undone by Stewart's superb putting under extreme pressure over the closing holes at Pinehurst.

Wearing his trademark cloth cap and "plus-four" trousers, Stewart sank a 25-foot putt to save par on the par-four 16th. With Mickelson missing there from eight feet, the lead was once again tied.

At the short 17th, Stewart holed a five-footer for birdie to forge one stroke clear, Mickelson having missed his own birdie chance from eight feet.

Although a playoff seemed to be looming when Stewart's drive at the last found thick rough, he managed to preserve his one-shot advantage by sinking a 15-foot putt for par.

A closing 70 gave him a 72-hole total of one-under-par 279 as he clinched his second U.S. Open crown.

"With three holes to go, I felt like I was in control of the tournament because I was leading and it's a very difficult course to make birdies on," added Mickelson. "I felt like I played well all day.

"Even until the last putt, I felt like there was still a very good chance.