Mickelson is one of the most popular golfers of the last quarter-century, and he deserves the adoration and esteem he has received. There is no joy in pointing out that common sense says that Mickelson, vexed by another disheartening result at the U.S. Open, finally let the game get to him.

Mickelson is a five-time major champion who has finished second at the U.S. Open six heart-rending times. The championship began poorly for him with another punch to the gut, in the form of a first-round 77. He rallied on Friday to make the cut when 14 other major champions could not.

On Saturday, Mickelson arrived at the first tee with fans singing “Happy Birthday” in tribute to his 48th. He smiled and gave his hallmark thumbs-up gesture over and over to thunderous ovations.

Things started out reasonably well, but beginning with the eighth hole, he made four consecutive bogeys. The handwriting was on the wall — yet another round, yet another U.S. Open, was going to end badly. That was the mood that Mickelson took to the par-4 13th hole.

His tee shot was in the fairway, but his second and third shots did not find the green. Soon he had a treacherous, 25-foot downhill putt for bogey. The ball missed the hole and kept going. Mickelson paused, then gave chase like a vexed 30-handicapper. When he caught up to the ball, he whacked it back up the hill and past the hole again. His next putt was from seven feet, and it lipped out. He tapped into an eight that became a 10 with the two-stroke penalty.

His playing partner, the English golfer Andrew Johnston, who goes by the nickname Beef, started laughing. He saw the scene for what it was.

“A moment of madness,” Johnston said after the round. “It was funny. Phil said, ‘I don’t know what that is or what that score is.’”