The countdown to the US Open at Shinnecock Hills is on, but two of golf's biggest icons—Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson—are notably absent from the field. Neither has qualified for the June championship, and neither has registered for qualifying. That means there's a real possibility both legends will miss a major for the second consecutive time—a scenario that feels unthinkable given their combined legacy.

Let's put this in perspective. Tiger Woods has three US Open titles to his name, each a testament to his dominance. Phil Mickelson, meanwhile, holds the bittersweet record of six runner-up finishes in this championship—the closest he's come to completing the career Grand Slam. At 55, the window for that elusive US Open win may be closing, but could Shinnecock Hills—the very course where he finished second in 2004—offer one last shot?

USGA CEO Mike Whan recently addressed the elephant in the room during an interview with Golf Central's Eamon Lynch. When asked if the USGA would consider giving Woods or Mickelson special exemptions, Whan didn't mince words. "We're fairly stingy in the world of exemptions," he explained. "The US Open is the most open championship in the game—about half of our field comes through qualifying. If you want to play, we give plenty of paths."

But Whan also acknowledged that some players get a closer look. "Do we treat Tiger a little different because of his background? Of course, we do. We look at your USGA resume first and foremost. Great champions have been with us a long time, and we recognize that. But because we're so open, with 10,200 players trying to qualify, we can't just hand out invites."

For fans hoping to see Woods or Mickelson in the lineup, the message is clear: the USGA values its open qualifying system, and past glory alone won't guarantee a spot. As the golf world watches, both players will need to earn their way back—or accept that this year's US Open might go on without them.