Mickelson on brink of Pebble Beach win
Rain, hail put three-stroke lead on hold
PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. — Phil Mickelson put himself on the brink of a fifth victory in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-am by turning a threeshot deficit into a three-shot lead when a wild day of weather kept him from finishing Sunday.
Mickelson was bogey-free with six birdies, and he made his big run starting with a 9-iron to a foot behind the cup on the par-4 ninth. That was start of a five-hole stretch in which Mickelson made three birdies and Paul Casey had two bogeys.
About the only thing that didn’t go Mickelson’s way was the timing.
The final round started an hour late because of rain, and then it was delayed two more hours when sunshine gave way to a hail storm, covering the greens in a sheet of white.
Mickelson was at 18 under par through 16 holes. Casey had a 3-foot par putt on the same hole when Mickelson tried to lobby for them to finish, even in the dark.
Mickelson will have to return Monday morning to play the last two holes.
Casey was at 15 under, tied with Scott Stallings, who closed with a
66. Along with an outside chance at forcing a playoff, finishing alone in second instead of a tie is a difference of $152,000, along with world ranking points and Fedex Cup points. Casey and Fedex executive Don Colleran had a one-shot lead in the pro-am.
Mickelson was standing on the 17th tee when he heard the horn sound to stop play, and he shook his head.
Champions:
At Boca Raton, Fla., Bernhard Langer closed with a 7-under 65 in windy conditions for a tournament-record 19-under 197 total and a five-stroke victory in the Oasis Championship, the 61-yearold German’s 39th win on the 1. Phil Mickelson 2. Scott Stallings 2. Paul Casey 4. Jason Day
4. Si Woo Kim 6. Scott Langley 7. Kevin Streelman 7. Brian Gay 7. Lucas Glover
More scores, 50-and-older circuit. Langer broke Hale Irwin’s career earnings total on the tour and is within six of Irwin’s tour victory record.
At Barwon Heads, Australia, Celine Boutier of France won the ISPS Handa Vic Open for her first tour title, shooting an even-par 72 for an 8-under 281 total and a two-stroke victory. Australians Sarah Kemp (65) and Su Oh (74) and England’s Charlotte Thomas (69) tied for second.
LPGA: