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Mickelson Wins His Third Green Jacket
Mon, 12 Apr 2010Mickelson a class above at the Masters
BY Bruce Young | US PGA Tour | 2010 US Masters | Round Four | 12 Apr 2010
Phil Mickelson won his third Masters Championship and his fourth major title when he came from one off the 54 hole pace to win by three over a gallant Lee Westwood at Augusta National today.
Just as he had done in round three, Mickelson powered home over the final nine holes but this time it was to take the lead and the victory.
While much of the talk leading into the week was of the struggles Tiger Woods would need to overcome in order to contend, little was made of the off course battles Mickelson himself was experiencing as his wife struggled against breast cancer treatment. Not only was his wife Amy battling the insidious disease but so too was his mother Mary and so the deep, long and meaningful embrace he enjoyed with his family after the victory carried special significance.
“It’s been a special and very emotional week,” said the champion. “This is the first time my family has travelled with me since The Players last year, and it made for really a fun week. And to win, man, this feels incredible.”
“I love this place. I love coming here. I love Sunday at Augusta. Back in the ’90s it was the most nerve-wracking day. Still is, but I’ve just come to love and cherish it, and to play some of my best golf this week as well as today just feels incredible.”
Further emphasising the class act Mickelson is and does not always get the credit for being, he outlined, when asked, what the conversation between he and Westwood had been in the scorer’s hut after the round. "I said that there’s nothing I can say because I’ve been there, I know the feeling, but I hope that his major championship comes soon, because he’s a quality individual, an incredible talent. I said he is one of the best players in the world and has been playing such, and that I pull for him and hope that his major comes very soon."
It was a day where the extraordinary became the norm. Westwood took bogey at the first and his one shot lead was gone, both he and Mickelson sharing a three shot break over Choi and Couples.
Westwood was back in front when he two putted the second hole but by the turn he had fallen behind Mickelson with a three putt for bogey and Mickelson headed to the 10th a one shot leader. At that point Westwood, K.J. Choi and Fred Couples were just one back.
Tiger Woods had reversed a horror start with a holed approach for eagle at the 7th and further birdies at the 8th and 9th. He had moved within three of the lead and despite a wayward game he was still a threat.
Mickelson would produce several telling blows over the next few holes beginning with a miraculous par save from the right hand trees on the 10th, but including a well measured 9 iron to 15 feet behind the hole at the 12th which he converted to move to 13 under.
At that point he was one clear of K.J. Choi who was emerged as a genuine winning chance when he birdied the 10th but bogeys at the 13th and 14th cost the Korean any chance of becoming the second consecutive Korean to win a major championship.
Ahead on the golf course Anthony Kim birdied the 13th and 14th then eagled the 15th before adding another birdie at the 16th. In a flash he had moved from 7 under to join Mickelson at 12 under and when he holed a 15 foot par save at the last he has set the clubhouse mark at 12 under.
Mickelson though was answering the call. A magnificent second from the trees at the 13th, perhaps the shot of the week especially given the element of gamble built in, finished 4 feet from the hole and although he missed that he secured the birdie to move two ahead of Kim and Westwood.
Mickelson two putted for par at the 14th but hit a superb 7 iron 20 right of the flag at the 15th and the two putt birdie took him to 15 under and he led by three.
Westwood was the only man remaining on the golf course who could challenge Mickelson over the closing stages and kept his hopes alive when he holed from 5 feet at the 17th to get within two. When Mickelson was able to birdie the last from 12 feet however he had extended his lead back to three and the title was his.
Westwood was brave in defeat and continued a great run in majors in recent times. He finished 3rd at the 2008 US Open, 3rd at the 2009 Open Championship and 3rd at the 2009 PGA Championship so he was due but it was not to be today against an inspired and brilliant Mickelson. His time will definitely come.
“Yeah, I mean, it wasn’t that rough a day, really,” said Westwood after his round when asked to assess the day. “It was quite enjoyable out there. We both struggled off the tee early on, I think, but you know, Phil being the champion he is hit some great shots coming down the stretch there; his 9-iron into 13, and his second shot into 13 was incredible, and then just played solid coming in.”
You know, he’s been through hard times recently and he deserves a break or two."
Anthony Kim finished alone in third position, Tiger Woods and K.J. Choi shared fourth and Fred Couples was 6th.
Woods again came back after struggles early in his back nine with a birdie at the 13th and then an eagle at the 15th before ha birdie at the last saw him finish at 11 under. It was a case of too little too late but all things considered this was an impressive week where he relied on his competitive instincts and not his swing to keep his hopes alive.
The leading Australian went to Adam Scott whose final round of 71 included a holed approach at the 7th which took an eternity to feed down off the contour in the green but eventually found the bottom of the cup. He finished at 1 under and in 18th position.
Geoff Ogilvy was at 1 over and 26th, Robert Allenby 45th and Nathan Green 48th.
Green was playing in his first Masters and will remember the final day for the roller coaster it was. Two eagles, three birdies, five bogeys, one double bogey, one triple bogey all added up to a round of 75 but the hole in one at the 16th he will remember for many years to come.
