Can Phil Mickelson continue to defy the odds and turn the tide at the U.S. Open?

Phil Mickelson is gunning for his first U.S. Open trophy at Torrey Pines, coming off a wave of confidence, after becoming the oldest major winner at the PGA Championship.

It’s hard to believe Phil Mickelson has never won a U.S. Open trophy. The tournament at Torrey Pines takes place in his hometown of San Diego, CA. He grew up on the course, but the U.S. Open — which has been played at the Torrey Pines Golf Course since 2008 — remains the one major Lefty doesn’t own.

But the reigning PGA champ doesn’t necessarily have the best relationship with Torrey Pines. His hometown advantage went out the window in 2001, when the golf course underwent a complete overhaul and Mickelson hasn’t felt comfortable playing the course ever since.

“Mickelson lost all of his home-course advantage when they redid that golf course,” Paul Azinger explained, via the NY Post.

“I spent so many hours as a kid that, when the course was redesigned, all that local knowledge went away,’’ Mickelson said at the beginning of the week.

After winning the PGA Championship, can Phil Mickelson win elusive U.S. Open?

Still, with Lefty’s spellbinding turn at the PGA, no one saw that coming. Mickelson’s historic sixth major showed the sports world that there was plenty of fire left at age 50. He held his nerves steady to seal a breathtaking win that enthralled just about everyone.

Why not believe that he could muster the motivation to win against all the odds at this week’s U.S. Open? As the owner of two PGA’s, three Masters and an Open major, an elusive U.S. Open would complete a career grand slam for the celebrated golfer.

However, standing in his way are memories of some tough, heartbreaking losses. Having come up second a record six times at the tournament, perhaps nowhere else stirs up nervous energy as Torrey Pines does. Mickelson will certainly be a factor, but it will be difficult to shake the feeling that the U.S. Open is just one tournament that has proven disappointing time and time again.

Mickelson also turned 51 the day before he starts playing. The challenges seem insurmountable.

No one foresaw his title win at Kiawah Island Resort just a few short weeks ago. Absolutely no one. Setting the record as the oldest player to win a major, Lefty’s on everyone’s radar as a contender at any PGA event. The days of dismissing his chances or regarding the 55-PGA winner as washed-up are over.

With the win at Kiawah Island, Mickelson has also proven that the results of the work ethic he’s been putting in (and extreme, but effective diet) have kicked in at just the right moment. He’s also been putting in the extra effort at Torrey Pines as well, preparing at the course that’s worked against him so many times.

“It’s a unique opportunity because I’ve never won a U.S. Open,’’ Mickelson said earlier this week. “It’s in my backyard. I have a chance to prepare properly, and I wanted to put in the right work. So, I’ve kind of shut off all the noise. I’ve shut off my phone. I’ve shut off a lot of the other stuff to where I can kind of focus in on this week and really give it my best chance to try to play my best.”

We all know how Mickelson can play when he’s completely focused. Just ask Brooks Koepka.