More than three months after the bizarre finish to the U.S. Open, we are left to believe its ripples are being felt upon Hawai'i golf.

When Phil Mickelson's decision to drop out of November's PGA Grand Slam on Kaua'i was announced yesterday, it sounded a lot like carry over from Winged Foot in June. Reading between the lines, you suspect Mickelson's double-bogey meltdown on the final hole and subsequent struggles have had plenty to do with his passing on the Nov. 21-22 event at Po'ipu Bay Golf Course.

The Grand Slam, which has been held there since 1994, matches the year's major champions over 36 holes in an internationally-televised event with a $1.25 million purse ($500,000 for the winner).

Hardly small change, but just a fraction of the $5 million in earnings Mickelson has been averaging the past few years. But this event has been more about competition than just the dollars, witness Tiger Woods and other champions regularly showing up.

Mickelson, too, had been to Po'ipu, winning the 2004 title with a course and event-record 13-under-par 59 on the final day.

But that was then and this is now. And Mickelson's game, dominant with consecutive victories at BellSouth and The Masters in the spring clearly hasn't been the same since Winged Foot with just one Top 20 finish in the last five events. His Ryder Cup showing underlining it.

So, when the PGA of America announced that Mickelson had said he was calling it a season after the Ryder Cup, to be replaced here by Mike Weir in the field with Woods, Jim Furyk and Geoff Ogilvy, the handwriting was on the wall. Mickelson wasn't saying much yesterday, a publicist just confirmed the PGA announcement.

"Knowing Phil, he's not gonna play if he doesn't think he can be competitive," said Mark Rolfing, NBC and Golf Channel commentator, who was in Ireland. "And I think that may have something to do with it."

Nor is it likely we'll see "Lefty" here in a PGA Tour event in Hawai'i anytime soon. Though he has been eligible four of the last five years, Mickelson hasn't played the Mercedes Championships since 2001 and has given the Sony Open in Hawai'i a pass to stay with his family in San Diego.

"He basically says, from what I've heard, that he's shut down until the Bob Hope," Rolfing said. "That he's not gonna play again (on Tour) until the third week in January. Part of it is probably what happened in the U.S. Open but part of it is probably gonna be the trend for him in years to come."

That's too bad, of course. You'd like to see the best play here, which is what the three events were designed for. And, for the most part, many of the elite probably will show.

Unless they melt down in a major, that is.

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8044.