Mickelson ends drought with WGC Mexico playoff triumph
MEXICO CITY: Five-time major winner Phil Mickelson seized his first title in nearly five years on Sunday (Monday in Manila) as he edged Justin Thomas in a playoff to win the WGC Mexico Championship.
Mickelson, who hadn’t won with Spain’s Rafa Cabrera Bello (67). since his victory at the Open Mickelson, whose drought Championship at Muirfield in stretched over 101 worldwide starts, 2013, parred the first playoff hole, had sounded a confident note the par-three 17th at Club de Golf when he finished the third round Chapultepec, where Thomas two shots off the 54-hole lead of missed the green and was unable India’s Shubhankar Sharma. to get up and down for par. He opened with back-to-back
“It’s been a tough go the last birdies, and after a three-putt bofour years, not playing my best,” gey at the third birdied the fourth Mickelson said. “But to have the and sixth, adding another birdie believe that I was going to get at the 10th to hold sole possesthere and finally break through sion of the lead on 15-under. and do it feels incredible. He gave a stroke back at the
“I feel that more is to come,” 11th, however, where his second added the 47-year-old. “I’m startshot ended up in the undering play some of my best golf.” growth between ivy-covered trees.
The 24-year-old Thomas, one of When Thomas produced his the hottest young stars in golf and finishing eagle it looked like, once the reigning US PGA Tour Player again, Mickelson would miss out of the Year, was coming off a vicon a trip to the winner’s circle. tory at the Honda Classic last week. But a birdie at the par-five 15th
He made six birdies and holed and a birdie at 16 — where he out from the fairway for an eagle rolled in a 19-foot putt — kept at the 18th for a closing sevenhis chances alive. under 64 that put him atop the “It just validates the hard work leaderboard on 16-under 268. I’ve put in and the struggle for the
With Thomas in the clubhouse last few years to finally get my with a two-stroke lead, Mickelson game back,” Mickelson said. birdied 15 and 16 to reach 16-unHe admitted he was nervous der and parred the last two-holes teeing off in the last group — but to cap a 66 and force the decider. said he welcomed the butterflies.
England’s Tyrrell Hatton was 16“The thing about it is, I love the under through 17 holes, but challenge,” Mickelson said. “To bogeyed the last to miss the playoff. have something like this today
His 67 left him tied for third on 269 makes it all worthwhile.”
Although he won last week, Thomas got off to a rocky start at Chapultepec and was even through two rounds.
He roared up the leaderboard with a course-record 62 on Saturday.
“If you would have told me I would have been in a playoff after two rounds, I would have told you, you were lying,” said Thomas, whose five wins last season included his first major title at the PGA Championship.