Phil Mickelson blasts 'PATHETIC' USGA over anticipated change to driver regulation

The U.S. Open's most famous runner-up is once again blasting the USGA.

Phil Mickelson took U.S. golf's governing body to task on Friday over speculation that the USGA will place a limit length on drivers to 46 inches from the current maximum of 48 inches. Mickelson uses a 47-inch driver that's presumably helped him maintain distance off the tees into his 50s. Not surprisingly, he's less than stoked about the potential regulation.

He took to Twitter to vent his thoughts:

As you can see, he calls the presumed regulation "PATHETIC" before accusing the USGA of making golf "less fun." He also describes the current golf climate as the sport's first boom in 40 years, apparently forgetting about the late '90s and 2000s megaboom sparked by his old rival Tiger Woods. But that's a digression.

Whether the USGA will implement the rule is unclear. It's considering taking the step to combat big-bombing golfers overwhelming golf courses. But Mickelson clearly views his longer driver as an edge that may have helped him pull off one of the game's all-time upsets by winning this year's PGA Championship at 50 years old to secure his sixth career major.

It's understandable that he wouldn't want to give it up.

It didn't help him at the U.S. Open, where he finished at +11, good for T62. And so goes his rocky relationship with the USGA-run tournament that's resulted in six second-place finishes but no wins as the only hole in his quest for a career Grand Slam.

If it seems like Mickelson has it out for the USGA, maybe it's because he does.