Phil Mickelson sank a nine-foot birdie on the final hole to preserve his one-stroke overnight lead and win the Colonial Crown Plaza Invitational from Rod Pampling and Tim Clark over the weekend at Fort Worth, Texas.
While he showed composure and confidence in nailing that crucial putt, it was an amazing Seve-esque shot on the fifth hole that really rescued his round and gave him a shot at the title.
Mickelson finished his round on two-under-par 68 for a total of 14-under 266. Pampling closed with 68 while Clark had a fourth-round of 66.
Lefty played himself into position thanks to his 18th hole heroics, where he hit an amazing wedge from 140 yards to near the flag.
He was standing in a bunker to line up his shot from thick rough. The ball needed to sneak under a tree and over another. Grazing branches at it flew off his club, the ball soared before landing in a perfect position on the green.
Mickelson said he was lucky but Pampling knew better, saying: “That’s what No. 2s in the world doâ€.
It was Mickelson’s 34th PGA Tour title and one of his most memorable, with that particular shot up there among his best. He said in an AP article:
“I’m as surprised as anybody I was able to make a 3 from over there. It just came off perfectly. Probably top five [of my best shots ever].â€
Stephen Ames (70) finished fourth at 269, a stroke ahead of Ben Crane (67). Mickelson’s victory was worth more than $1 million in prize money and enabled him to move past $49 million in career earnings.
It was also his second Colonial victory, his first coming eight years ago when the winner’s cheque was worth less than $600,000.
On the European Tour, beatnik veteran Miguel Angel Jimenez won his eighth tournament while in his 40s with a play-off victory over Oliver Wilson at the PGA Championship at Wentworth, England.
The pony-tailed 44-year-old beat Wilson on the second play-off hole to become the third oldest winner of the Tour’s blue-riband event, behind Dai Rees, who was 46 when he won in 1959, and 45-year-old Arnold Palmer (1975). Jimenez said in a Reuters article:
“I’m 44 and after 20 years on the tour you just relax and enjoy yourself, that’s the most important thing. I have been playing well all year. Sometimes the results are not what you want but you must keep enjoying playing well. This is the main tournament on the European Tour after the British Open. It is very important.”
The Spaniard closed with a final round of four-under 68 to tie Wilson, who also had 68, at 11-under 277 for the tournament. He also had a hole-in-one at the fifth hole to boost his victory hopes.
Jimenez, who won the Hong Kong Open in November, birdied the second play-off hole to deny Wilson his maiden title with the Englishman having to settle for his seventh second place. It was Jimenez’s 15th career title.
On the LPGA Tour, someone not named Ochoa, Sorenstam, or even Creamer, emerged triumphant last weekend. Instead, it was Leta Lindley, who won her first title with a play-off victory over Korean Jang Jeong at the Corning Classic in New York.
Lindley had a fourth round of 67 to total 11-under 277, while Jang finished with 68. Lindley prevailed in the play-off when she sank a six-foot birdie on the first extra hole.
Ochoa, a six-time winner this season, and three-time champ Sorenstam were not playing this week, but Creamer finished tied for 15th, seven shots behind. Lindley and Jang finished one stroke ahead of Koreans Yoo sun-young and Kim Mi-hyun.
